Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling for all-out rescue efforts for victims of a tornado and hail in East China. So far, 78 people have been killed. President Xi has directed the State Council to send a working group to the disaster area.  He's also instructed authorities to prevent further casualties, deal with the aftermath properly, and step up weather monitoring and forecasting.

Photo taken on June 23, 2016 shows a steel tower blown down by tornado in Funing County, east China's Jiangsu Province. A tornado hit Funing County Thursday afternoon. [Photo: Xinhua/Yang Ya]

The tornado hit Yancheng in Jiangsu Province on Thursday afternoon. About five hundred people were injured. Power and communication lines were brought down, villages were flattened, and vehicles were blown away. A factory where dangerous chemical products were stored has been destroyed. Hundreds were evacuated. Rescue operations are underway for those trapped under the debris.