Storms kill eight in central China, heavy rain warnings issued

At least eight people have died in central China's Hubei province after a severe thunderstorm struck, bringing powerful winds and raising concerns about widespread crop damage. The storm hit the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou, and Xianning on Sunday night with gusts reaching 149 kilometers per hour, according to the Hubei emergency management department.

Authorities have issued further warnings for heavy rainfall, with up to 260 millimeters expected in the next 24 hours across the southeastern Guangxi region and the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong. These conditions could trigger landslides, while northeastern and southern China face the risk of tornadoes.

Hubei and Shandong are crucial agricultural areas. The heavy rains threaten the late-season harvest of crops like corn, peanuts, and vegetables, following the wheat harvest. Meteorologists attribute the increasing frequency of extreme weather events to climate change, which poses a significant threat to China's economy, with potential annual losses in the tens of billions of dollars.

The country is also on high alert for Super Typhoon Bavi, which is tracking across the Pacific Ocean toward Taiwan. The storm was recorded with winds up to 290 kph near Guam, Tinian, Saipan, and Rota.