On June 23, 2016, a rare tornado and hailstorm disaster swept through Funing County, Jiangsu Province, causing serious human and property losses. Now more than a year later, how are the affected people faring now? Our staff reporters will lead to the disaster-hit areas and meet face to face with the victims.
The Chinese character Fu was hung on the walls of the two-storied houses and the laughter of the elders and the children filled the rooms with a strong holiday atmosphere.
A family reunion is the greatest wish and happiness for Funing people after suffering the disaster.
The 343 affected households in Lixin Village have all moved into new houses built by the government. This year, they will spend the first Spring Festival in their new home.
Jiang Guanjun, 33, the owner of a nursery center in Xinnan Village, told us that 30% of his 40-mu greenhouse had completely collapsed during the storm and that the rest was seriously damaged. It took him six months to rebuild the damaged greenhouses and start the research of a new breed with his wife.
Ordinary watermelon seedling is sold for three cents while the seedlings grafted by Jiang Guanjun fetch the price of 85 cents. Despite the high price, his watermelon seedlings are still in short supply due to the good quality.
Now Jiang Guanjun supplies watermelon seedlings to 90% of the watermelon growers in Funing. Last year, he sold a total of 20 million kinds of seedlings with the output value reaching 300 million yuan.
Hundreds of villagers were gathered in the square in front of the Dalou Village Administration to watch theatrical performances.
The sunset art troupe of Dalou Village has more than a dozen members varying in age from 70 to 50.
72-year-old Grandpa Xu is the organizer of this art troupe. He has been a cultural publicist for a decade and wrote the program list on his own.
In the past year or so, the art troupe staged hundreds of performances for the villagers, singing high of the tremendous changes in the village over the past year.
Intense downpours, hailstorms and a tornado battered parts of Funing County on June 23rd last year, destroying buildings, trees, vehicles and power lines. Gales of up to 125 km per hour battered several outer townships of Funing. A total of 98 people were killed. 846 people sustained injuries, 200 of whom were seriously wounded.
(Source:Jiangsu International Channel)
