In a catastrophic event that unfolded in southeastern China, three individuals tragically lost their lives when they were forcibly ejected from their apartments by violent typhoon-like winds. This incident occurred during a severe weather spell that struck the region, unleashing rain and hailstorms over nine cities, including Nanchang and Jiujiang.
According to reports from the Jiangxi provincial emergency flood control headquarters, the extreme weather, which commenced on March 31, impacted approximately 93,000 individuals across 54 counties.
Among the victims was an 11-year-old boy, all residents of a single high-rise building in Nanchang, where the storm’s ferocity was such that it dislodged door-sized windows from their frames. This led to the residents being swept out through these gaping holes to their deaths, a grim tale reported by local media. The disaster did not spare homes either, with dozens severely damaged by the storms that raged from Sunday to Tuesday. The local authorities have launched investigations to discern the precise circumstances that led to the fatalities.
Wind speeds exceeding the highest level of 12, equivalent to a Category I hurricane, were recorded, causing widespread disruption including the blowing out of air conditioners from high-rises and the toppling of over 2,000 trees in Nanchang, the provincial capital and hardest-hit city.
Winds of such intensity are common when typhoons, as hurricanes are called in China and elsewhere in East Asia, make landfall but are rarely found inland such as landlocked Jiangxi.
Eyewitness accounts add depth to the narrative, with one survivor from the 20th floor describing how the tempest’s might removed all the living room and bedroom windows, resulting in the loss of his mother and son.
Another harrowing tale came from a man whose wife was taken by the wind from their 11th-floor apartment, leaving him unharmed in another part of their home. The aftermath of these tragic losses is captured in a viral video, showcasing the stark reality of a bed standing by a window, now devoid of glass.
(With inputs from agencies)
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