· White / Uncolored – No rating
· Beige – EF1
· Dark yellow – EF2
· Orange – EF3
· Red – EF4
Data are from the CMA Tornado Key Open Laboratory, Tornado Archive, and various academic papers.
This was a tornado caused by a typhoon. The tornado entered Shengze and caused severe destruction, completely destroying a large three-story brick-and-timber building called Deyi Tower, and killing 34 people.
At the time, Shengze was a developed city. This is why, despite China being in a period of war and having limited access to photographic equipment, this disaster left behind many valuable photographic records.
There was even a commemorative book specifically compiled for the disaster, as well as a map showing the tornado's path. Records like this are quite rare in China during this period.
This tornado video frequently circulates on the internet and is often mistaken for the 2016 Funing, Jiangsu tornado. In reality, it occurred on May 31, 2015, in Tongyu, Jilin, China. The spectacular appearance is due to the tornado sucking up a large amount of dust. From another distant angle, it actually looked like this. The tornado was eventually rated F1. Although it caused EF3‑level damage, this is not surprising given that the local authorities at the time were not yet capable of making accurate tornado assessments.
On April 11, 1878, Guangzhou was struck by a tornado. Based on photos, the damage level was between EF3 and EF4. Contemporary newspapers reported 10,000 casualties, with an estimate of no more than 4,000 deaths. Recently, the Tornado Archive also added this tornado in an update, but Blue Ayanami, relying on newspapers from shortly after the event, estimated the death toll at only 200 to 300. In fact, however, one year after the disaster, the then-official Liu Kunyi released the findings of an official investigation, revealing a death toll that exceeds that of the 1989 Daulatpur–Saturia tornado. Yet this catastrophe has been forgotten — it’s truly unbelievable!
Furthermore, according to Chinese newspaper records, the tornado touched down near Bai’etan (White Goose Pond) and eventually dissipated west of Guangzhou city. I don’t understand why the Tornado Archive set the path from southwest to northeast. In fact, the path should have been first northward, then westward…