Villagers repair their damaged roof at Jiqiao Village under Shuoji Township in Funing County of Yancheng City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 25, 2016. Rain, hail and a tornado battered parts of Yancheng City on Thursday afternoon, destroying buildings, trees, vehicles and electricity poles. At least 98 people have died and 846 were injured. (Xinhua/Han Yuqing)
Thousands of rescuers and emergency workers have been saving lives and restoring order to counties in east China's Jiangsu Province after a fierce tornado killed 98 people and left 846 injured.
A powerful tornado and hailstorm pummelled through farmland and factories in the Yancheng City of Jiangsu on Thursday afternoon.
By Saturday, a total of 744 people remain hospitalized and 102 people have been discharged after treatment. About 20 of the injured are in critical conditions, local rescue headquarters said.
Thousands of emergency workers have been been restoring telecommunications, water and electricity. Electricity has been restored to about 100,00 households, and another 25,800 households remain to be connected.
More than 220 armed police are cleaning the rubble and searching for important items for the residents at the Chenliang township, which is worst hit by the tornado.
The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) started an emergency response to the disaster and donated 500 tents and thousands of clothing. So far it has provided cash and goods totaling 1.37 million yuan.
At least four dozen medical and disease prevention staff have been sent to prevent epidemic and disinfect the disaster-hit area. Volunteers from nearby counties and Wuxi City have joined the relief efforts.
Zhou Guanrong, a local volunteer, rode on his motorcycle to send disaster-relief supplies to the residents. "Many people need food and shelter," he said.
SECURING CHEMICALS
Rescuers are racing against the clock to safely dispose of chemicals stored at a 40,000-square-meter solar panel factory, which is partly owned by GCL System Integration Technology Co. Ltd.
The disposal of the hazardous chemicals, including ammonium gas and silane, is due to be finished Saturday, according to Zhou Xiang, head of Jiangsu fire corps and director of the rescue headquarters.
A total of 470 people were working in the factory when the tornado hit. Two cooks were killed and over 70 factory floor employees were injured.
Zhou said that the quantity of the chemicals was not large and all chemicals were stored in bottles or cans. "Currently there is no danger of diffusion," he said.
HELPING EACH OTHER
At the Donghua village in Chenliang township, relatives have come to help farmer Xue Xuecheng to dig out grains and vegetable seeds.
"We have been digging for two days, and the loss is grave," Xue said.
Another villager Dai Biyang, 50, uses his tricycle to help send water, toilet paper and candles to his fellow folks. His printing machine factory was flipped and flooded. "I was lucky to be alive, but so many lives are lost. We can only get over this by helping each other," he said.
Dai was feeding his chicken when the tornado hit. "I saw a neighbor bleeding in his head, running and crying for help -- his wife and granddaughter were buried," he recalled.
Dai helped him calling in other farmers to help. Six villagers and three policemen used their hands to dig out a 6-year-old girl, but her grandma Wang Mei had died.
"Her grandma was a nice woman, always speaking softly. Never in our lives should we expect something like this," Dai said, trying hard to hold back his tears.
