The number of people killed by powerful storms sweeping across parts of China has increased to 15, while hundreds of others have been injured and tens of thousands forced to flee their homes, according to state media reports released on Tuesday.

The severe weather has battered several provinces, bringing destructive thunderstorms, violent winds, flooding, and tornadoes that have left widespread damage and prompted emergency rescue operations.

In central China’s Hubei Province, at least 11 people lost their lives after intense thunderstorms and gale-force winds struck multiple cities. Authorities also confirmed that 331 people sustained injuries, while one person remains missing.

State news agency Xinhua reported that the extreme weather damaged approximately 4,800 homes and completely destroyed another 22 buildings.

“This episode of severe convective weather was characterised by its sudden onset and intense, short-duration winds,” Xinhua said.

Meanwhile, southern China’s Guangxi region continues to battle severe flooding triggered by Typhoon Maysak. Officials said at least four people have died, while more than 50,000 residents have been evacuated from affected communities. Eight people are still unaccounted for as search and rescue efforts continue.

Flood Emergency Intensifies After Dam Breach

Authorities in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, elevated the flood control emergency response to its highest level after relentless rainfall caused reservoir dams to overflow and breach.

Footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV showed torrents of muddy floodwater surging through the collapsed walls of a damaged reservoir, highlighting the scale of the disaster.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an intensified emergency response, urging rescue teams to mobilise all available resources to protect lives and assist affected communities.

According to CCTV, Xi instructed emergency responders to “go all out” in organising rescue operations.

He also stressed the need for “treating the injured, resettling affected residents, and carrying out disaster prevention and relief work effectively”.

Television footage from the disaster zones showed emergency personnel wearing protective gear and life jackets searching flooded communities, while rescue teams used inflatable boats to reach stranded residents.

China frequently experiences severe weather events during the summer months, with some regions facing torrential rainfall and flooding while others endure prolonged heatwaves.

Landslide Traps Dozens in Gansu Province

In a separate incident, a landslide struck a village in northwestern China’s Gansu Province on Tuesday morning, burying 33 people beneath debris.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that 17 victims had been “successfully rescued”, although authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the landslide.

Emergency crews remain at the scene as rescue efforts continue in the hope of locating the remaining victims.