Reports say 51 people have been killed after a tornado hit East China's Jiangsu Province on Thursday. The tornado struck at Funing county and Sheyang county around 2.30 in the afternoon, densely populated.

Weather authorities say at one point the wind speed reached nearly 35 meters per second. A rescue operation is underway.

We are joined on the phone by our reporter Xing Zheming for the latest. He is on the way to Yancheng.

Q: Hi Zheming, how is the situation over the tornado-hit area?