12 killed in China hailstorm

At least 12 people were killed and 27 injured as hailstones, lashing rain and gales pounded southern China's Guangdong province on Sunday, state media said. The storms, which hit cities including Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan and Zhongshan, caused about 50 million yuan ($7.5 million) in direct economic losses, the ministry of civil affairs said, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The Guangdong provincial government has dispatched a team to the disaster-affected areas to direct relief work, the report said. The local government has initiated emergency plans to rush the injured to hospital, provide aid to the elderly, and inspect for endangered buildings.