Powerful winds brought by a sweeping cold front have battered many parts of China since Friday evening, prompting widespread weather warnings and emergency response measures.
China's meteorological authority renewed its orange alert for strong gales on Sunday morning.
Parts of north China -- including the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Shanxi Province, Hebei Province, and Beijing -- were experiencing or were expected to see winds of up to force 11 (blowing at speeds between 28.5 and 32.6 meters per second), according to the National Meteorological Center.
China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red indicating the most severe conditions, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.
In Laiyuan County, northern Hebei Province, damages to greenhouses, power lines were reported. Emergency crews responded quickly, and power was restored within hours.
In response to the severe weather, Laiyuan County also carried out inspections targeting vulnerable groups, including elderly residents living alone, to identify potential risks, and relocated hundreds to safer accommodations.
An outer layer of a wall at the entrance to a residential compound in Chizhou, in east China's Anhui Province, was torn down by strong winds and a brief thunderstorm that struck the city on Saturday. No injuries were reported.
The site has since been inspected, and repairs will begin once the winds subside. Local authorities are also conducting thorough inspections of tower cranes at construction sites, outdoor billboards, and shade roofs to eliminate potential falling hazards.
Meanwhile, in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, strong winds tore off the roof of a house, leaving one person trapped. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving the alert and quickly lifted the debris, moving the victim to safety. Emergency services were then called, and medical personnel transported the injured person to the hospital for treatment.
In Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, operations at several tourist attractions were suspended during the weekend due to strong winds. More than 50 personnel were assigned to patrol the Zhanqiao Bridge scenic area, which remains open, to ensure the safety of visitors.
The city's fisheries departments deployed dedicated teams to patrol anchored fishing vessels and assist fishermen with safety inspections.
All fishing boats were docked to shelter from the winds, and staff at offshore aquaculture sites were evacuated.
Gale-force winds batter parts of China, prompting emergency responses
