See: Rare storm hits central China cities

At least 11 people have died after severe thunderstorms hit cities in China’s Hubei province, state media reported.

Videos of the tornado circulated online, taken from the neighboring cities of Ezhou and Huanggang.

A student in the city of Huanggang told the BBC he thought it was “just thunder” until he saw objects flying through the air outside his dorm window.

Several students were cut by flying glass. “It wasn’t until everything stopped now that I realized I was in danger.”

This is a rare event in the region, which last recorded a typhoon in 2021, state media reported.

The storm destroyed thousands of buildings and injured more than 300 residents, local officials said, as they launched rescue and relief operations.