Three people died and seven others were wounded by what authorities described as an extreme weather event in eastern China. Local officials reported the incident on Tuesday, noting it occurred the previous day in the city of Linyi, in Shandong province. They characterized it as a short‑duration convective extreme weather phenomenon. The injured were promptly transported to medical facilities for treatment, and none were considered to be in life‑threatening condition [attribution: local government].
In addition to the fatalities and injuries, the event damaged numerous homes. Affected residents have been relocated, and efforts are underway to recover the area and resume daily activities, according to authorities [attribution: regional civil administration].
Although the specific nature of the weather event was not detailed, convective extreme weather phenomena of short duration typically describe rapid, intense conditions often linked to strong thunderstorms, gusty winds, hail, or tornadoes [attribution: meteorology bureau].
Last July, a tornado recorded in the same province left at least five people dead, 83 injured, and damage to nearly 3,000 homes. In 2023, another similar event caused at least ten fatalities in the neighboring Jiangsu province (east) [attribution: national weather service].
Experts have warned in recent years that climate change could raise the frequency of extreme weather events in China, potentially intensifying the intensity and occurrence of such phenomena in the coming years [attribution: climate researchers].