Thunderstorms and gales hit parts of Hubei Province on Monday night, killing 11 people and leaving one missing. Another 331 were injured in the affected cities.
The severe convective weather struck Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Monday. Winds reached Level 13 in two townships, with tornadoes reported in some areas.
The storms affected 14,600 people. Authorities recorded 996 people taking emergency shelter and 246 others relocated. Twenty-two houses were flattened and 4,855 were damaged.
Rescue operations are underway, local authorities said. More than 3,500 rescue personnel were deployed to the affected areas.