Storm kills 20 people in central China

A storm with gale-force winds killed 20 people and seriously injured 117 in central China, state media said Thursday.

Thursday, June 4th 2009, 11:56 am

By: News 9

BEIJING (AP) -- A storm with gale-force winds killed 20 people and seriously injured 117 in central China, state media said Thursday.
   Heavy rain and winds of up to 67 miles (108 kilometers) per hour swept through Shangqiu and Kaifeng in Henan province Wednesday night, ripping up trees and sending them crashing into homes, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
   Several cities in neighboring Anhui were also affected but no deaths were reported there, it said.
   Xinhua said local officials blamed the deaths and injuries on flying debris. The storm destroyed about 9,800 homes and cut water and electricity to more than 3 million people, it said.