During the May holidays, China was struck by a series of extremely severe convective storms that swept across multiple provinces.
On May 3rd, a powerful sandstorm hit the city of Dunhuang in Gansu Province, which was crowded with tourists. In some areas, wind speeds reached twelve on the extended Beaufort scale, meaning they exceeded approximately seventy-three miles per hour. Visibility during the storm dropped to less than one thousand six hundred feet, and around ten thousand tourists were trapped in popular tourist areas such as Yangguan and Yumenguan.
Although sandstorms are not uncommon in Dunhuang, which is surrounded by deserts, local residents reported that this one was significantly more intense than usual.
Between the night of May 4th and the morning of May 5th, the storm struck Sichuan Province. In just one night, over thirty thousand lightning strikes were recorded in the Yangtze River basin. In Chengdu, wind gusts reached approximately sixty-two miles per hour, and in Qionglai County, wind speeds measured exactly sixty-two miles per hour, corresponding to ten on the extended Beaufort scale. Eyewitnesses on social media described the situation as "insane": the wind tore down awnings, blew objects away, overturned advertising signs and electric scooters, and even ripped outdoor air conditioning units from walls.
The disaster turned tragic in Qianxi County, Guizhou Province. On May 4th, several cruise boats set out on the Yachi River. Just five to six minutes after departure, a violent storm suddenly began, accompanied by thunder, lightning, heavy rain, hail, and gale-force winds. According to meteorological reports, the wind in the area reached fourteen on the Beaufort scale, exceeding approximately ninety-three miles per hour.
As a result, four vessels capsized with a total of eighty-four people on board. Seventy passengers were injured, and ten lost their lives. What makes the incident particularly alarming is that an orange-level hail warning — indicating a high probability of hazardous weather — had already been issued at two forty in the morning. Nevertheless, the cruise operations in the tourist zone continued as usual.
The escalation of natural disasters is occurring not only in China but around the world, though at different rates. This is why humanity urgently needs effective tools to stop the climate crisis. We invite you to watch a video where Dr. Cholakian presents technologies developed by the ALLATRA scientific community to mitigate the negative effects of climatic and geodynamic processes. Now, more than ever, this concerns each and every one of us.