Tornado kills seven, injures at least 60 in China

BEIJING - A tornado killed seven people and injured at least 60 when it struck a city in eastern China on Wednesday, state-run media said.
The twister hit at about 4:40 pm (0840 GMT), sweeping through several townships round Yancheng city in Jiangsu province with strong gale-force winds, the Xinhua news agency said.
The exact number of casualties was still unclear, a city government official told Xinhua, which added the tornado destroyed about half of the houses in a village in Shanggang Town.
"The only township hospital was crowded with some 60 villagers waiting for treatment," Xinhua said. More than 30 of the patients were seriously injured, it added, quoting the head of the township, surnamed Xiao.
Residents affected by the tornado had been provided with temporary accommodation, a local official said.

04/20/2005 18:14 GMT