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On the evening of July 6, 2026, an extremely rare EF2 tornado struck Huanggang City in central China's Hubei Province, causing severe damage to Huanggang Normal University, which was directly in the tornado's path . The tornado, packing maximum winds exceeding Force 15 (over 149 km/h), tore through the university's north and south campuses between 8:10 and 8:30 p.m. .

Casualties and Damage

According to the university's official statement, 52 students and staff sought medical treatment, with 21 requiring hospitalization. All injuries are non-life-threatening . The disaster caused extensive property damage: over 2,000 trees were uprooted, and administrative buildings, classrooms, libraries, and gyms suffered widespread broken windows, damaged exterior walls, and collapsed ceilings. Teaching equipment and infrastructure were damaged to varying degrees, with preliminary direct economic losses estimated at 153 million yuan (approximately $21 million) .

Emergency Response and Recovery

The university immediately activated its emergency response plan following the disaster . By 2:00 a.m. on July 7, main campus roads had been cleared and power restored to the north campus; the south campus followed later that morning, and the cafeteria resumed full service by noon .

Academic Adjustments

Given the extensive damage and safety hazards, the university cancelled final exams and granted an early summer break to its 15,000 non-graduating students, who began departing campus on July 7 . All faculty and staff remain on duty to oversee post-disaster restoration work .

Meteorological Context

Meteorologists noted that tornadoes of this magnitude are historically rare in Hubei Province, with the last major tornado occurring in Wuhan in May 2021 . The severe weather was attributed to a combination of Typhoon Maysak's residual circulation interacting with a seasonal rain front and a cold air mass from the northeast . In response to the disaster, China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 20 million yuan in emergency relief funds specifically for Hubei Province to support recovery efforts .