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23 Killed, 161 Injured As Tornado Strikes China

(RTTNews) - More than 23 people were killed and 161 injured Thursday when a powerful tornado swept through China's southwestern Chongqing municipality before dawn, damaging houses and crops.

The tornado--followed by torrential rains, hailstorms and strong winds--hit Dianjiang and Liangping counties at around 2:00 a.m. (1800 GMT Wednesday) toppling houses and damaging crops, state news agency Xinhua reported. Power outages were reported in more than two towns in the affected area.

Liangping county was hit by a tornado and hailstorm, leaving six people dead and another 34 injured. Seventeen people died and 127 people were injured in Dianjiang county, media reported quoting local government officials. The death toll is likely to go up after rescue workers complete searching crumbled homes.

A spokesman for the People's Hospital in Dianjiang, one of the worst-hit areas, said the storm lasted for around two to three hours and felled many trees along the county's main roads.

The municipal government has begun an emergency rescue and relief operations as authorities worked to tally the number of dead and injured, as well as the number of homes damaged.

With a population of over 30 million, Chongqing is claimed to be the world's largest city after large parts of the surrounding countryside were reclassified as part of the municipality in 1997. The city is currently witnessing a major campaign against organized crime.