Six people died when a pavilion struck by lightning collapsed in a park in eastern China, DPA reported, citing local authorities, BTA reported.
According to the Changzhou city government, in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu, lightning struck the pavilion last night, where several people had earlier taken shelter from the strong thunderstorm, the agency said.
As of this morning, six people have died of their wounds, while ten injured people are in stable condition, authorities added.
The China Meteorological Administration had issued a thunderstorm, hurricane and hail warning for the area around Changzhou, which has a population of about 5.4 million people, as well as other parts of the country.
Local authorities have promised to conduct an investigation and check how secure municipal facilities are. Due to rampant corruption and a lack of structural safety inspections in China, building collapses are common, especially in agricultural areas, DPA noted.