China apocalypse: Level 16 super typhoon devastates Shandong, thousands of houses collapse
Extreme Weather
[{'start': '0.000', 'end': '39.680', 'text': 'Super typhoon level 16 devastated China, thousands of houses collapsed.'}, {'start': '39.680', 'end': '44.480', 'text': 'Shandong, China, May 1, 2025.'}, {'start': '44.480', 'end': '48.720', 'text': 'Several typhoons of strength\xa0above 15 hit Chinese provinces,'}, {'start': '48.720', 'end': '51.680', 'text': 'causing thousands of houses to lose their roofs,'}, {'start': '51.680', 'end': '55.600', 'text': 'power lines to collapse,\xa0trees toppled, cars toppled,'}, {'start': '55.600', 'end': '60.160', 'text': "and people's life savings to\xa0be lost in just 15 minutes."}, {'start': '60.160', 'end': '62.720', 'text': 'Residents described the scene as horrifying,'}, {'start': '62.720', 'end': '70.240', 'text': 'as if the end of the world was approaching.'}, {'start': '70.240', 'end': '71.520', 'text': 'On May 1,'}, {'start': '71.520', 'end': '77.200', 'text': 'northern China was hit by an extreme weather\xa0 phenomenon when a giant cold front swept south,'}, {'start': '77.200', 'end': '80.720', 'text': 'colliding with warm and humid\xa0air over the central plains.'}, {'start': '81.520', 'end': '84.880', 'text': 'This powerful atmospheric\xa0conflict caused a widespread'}, {'start': '84.880', 'end': '87.760', 'text': 'outbreak of violent winds across eastern,'}, {'start': '87.760', 'end': '89.680', 'text': 'northern and northwestern China,'}, {'start': '89.680', 'end': '93.040', 'text': 'affecting provinces including Shaanxi, Shandong,'}, {'start': '93.040', 'end': '101.040', 'text': 'Henan, Gansu, Hebei and Shanxi.'}, {'start': '106.240', 'end': '109.840', 'text': 'In many areas, wind gusts reached level 12,'}, {'start': '109.840', 'end': '113.280', 'text': 'signaling extremely dangerous conditions.'}, {'start': '113.280', 'end': '114.720', 'text': 'In Henan Province,'}, {'start': '114.720', 'end': '118.480', 'text': 'the peak gusts were a\xa0staggering 47 meters per second,'}, {'start': '118.480', 'end': '121.760', 'text': 'equivalent to level 15 winds.'}, {'start': '121.760', 'end': '126.560', 'text': 'National weather stations in many places\xa0also recorded similar severe conditions,'}, {'start': '126.560', 'end': '129.440', 'text': 'with gusts above level 12 in Fuxian,'}, {'start': '129.440', 'end': '132.720', 'text': 'Pinglu, Mianchi and Zanhuang.'}, {'start': '132.720', 'end': '138.960', 'text': 'The intensity of the wind caused widespread\xa0damage in both urban and rural areas.'}, {'start': '138.960', 'end': '143.040', 'text': 'Trees were uprooted and fell\xa0onto roads and vehicles.'}, {'start': '143.040', 'end': '145.360', 'text': 'Rooftop structures were torn apart,'}, {'start': '145.360', 'end': '149.520', 'text': 'and pieces of metal and\xa0debris flew through the air.'}, {'start': '163.440', 'end': '166.560', 'text': 'In cities, electric scooters were blown away,'}, {'start': '166.560', 'end': '168.960', 'text': 'and street furniture such as tables,'}, {'start': '168.960', 'end': '172.640', 'text': 'chairs and signs were thrown around like toys.'}, {'start': '172.640', 'end': '173.840', 'text': 'In some places,'}, {'start': '173.840', 'end': '178.960', 'text': 'the sky turned an eerie red-orange as\xa0strong winds stirred up dust and sand,'}, {'start': '178.960', 'end': '182.000', 'text': 'significantly reducing visibility.'}, {'start': '182.000', 'end': '185.120', 'text': 'The sun appeared dimly\xa0behind a thick layer of air,'}, {'start': '185.120', 'end': '188.560', 'text': 'the atmosphere was ominously gloomy.'}, {'start': '188.560', 'end': '191.200', 'text': 'Residents described the scene as terrifying,'}, {'start': '191.200', 'end': '197.578', 'text': 'as if the end of the world was near.'}, {'start': '208.560', 'end': '212.880', 'text': 'Emergency services received numerous\xa0calls reporting falling debris,'}, {'start': '212.880', 'end': '217.120', 'text': 'damaged property and widespread power outages.'}, {'start': '217.120', 'end': '219.040', 'text': 'Flights were delayed or cancelled,'}, {'start': '219.040', 'end': '221.600', 'text': 'and road conditions became dangerous,'}, {'start': '221.600', 'end': '224.880', 'text': 'especially for motorcyclists and pedestrians.'}, {'start': '225.600', 'end': '227.920', 'text': 'Schools suspended outdoor activities,'}, {'start': '227.920', 'end': '235.140', 'text': 'and many businesses closed early to ensure safety.'}, {'start': '241.200', 'end': '245.680', 'text': 'As night fell, winds eased slightly\xa0in parts of north-central China,'}, {'start': '245.680', 'end': '249.360', 'text': 'but Henan and Shandong remained\xa0under high wind warnings.'}, {'start': '249.360', 'end': '251.680', 'text': 'Temperatures dropped sharply,'}, {'start': '251.680', 'end': '255.680', 'text': 'and the air became noticeably colder and heavier.'}, {'start': '255.680', 'end': '259.360', 'text': 'The meteorological agency\xa0continued to issue warnings,'}, {'start': '259.360', 'end': '261.600', 'text': 'advising people to stay indoors,'}, {'start': '261.600', 'end': '267.675', 'text': 'secure loose objects and avoid unnecessary travel.'}, {'start': '275.200', 'end': '282.080', 'text': 'The rare event was the result of a strong cold\xa0front interacting with warm seasonal air masses.'}, {'start': '282.080', 'end': '284.400', 'text': 'Not only does it create fierce winds,'}, {'start': '284.400', 'end': '288.080', 'text': 'it also transports sand and\xa0dust over long distances,'}, {'start': '288.080', 'end': '292.720', 'text': 'causing strangely colored\xa0skies and hazardous visibility.'}, {'start': '292.720', 'end': '295.120', 'text': 'Weather experts are now warning that such events'}, {'start': '295.120', 'end': '298.880', 'text': 'could become more frequent as the\xa0climate becomes more unstable.'}, {'start': '309.200', 'end': '311.200', 'text': 'Beyond the visible devastation,'}, {'start': '311.200', 'end': '314.320', 'text': 'the storm left a sobering message.'}, {'start': '314.320', 'end': '318.320', 'text': 'It underscored how quickly nature\xa0can swing from calm to chaos and'}, {'start': '318.320', 'end': '323.040', 'text': 'how fragile our daily routines are\xa0in the face of extreme weather.'}, {'start': '323.040', 'end': '327.600', 'text': 'What many people experienced on Thursday\xa0was more than just a spring storm,'}, {'start': '327.600', 'end': '330.480', 'text': 'it was a reminder that climate\xa0patterns are changing and that'}, {'start': '330.480', 'end': '334.115', 'text': 'communities must prepare for the unexpected.'}, {'start': '346.909', 'end': '349.920', 'text': 'The storm has passed,'}, {'start': '349.920', 'end': '352.960', 'text': 'but its effects are far from over.'}, {'start': '352.960', 'end': '356.400', 'text': 'In a world facing more frequent\xa0extreme weather events,'}, {'start': '356.400', 'end': '362.000', 'text': 'northern China is now looking to the\xa0future with renewed caution and resilience.'}, {'start': '362.000', 'end': '368.253', 'text': 'Experts warn that such extreme weather could\xa0 become more common as climate change continues.'}, {'start': '377.680', 'end': '379.920', 'text': 'Previously, on April 30,'}, {'start': '379.920', 'end': '386.080', 'text': 'Shaanxi Province and Shandong Province also\xa0had strong winds from level 11 to level 13,'}, {'start': '386.080', 'end': '387.680', 'text': 'accompanied by heavy rain,'}, {'start': '387.680', 'end': '393.360', 'text': 'causing water to accumulate more\xa0than 80 cm in low-lying areas.'}, {'start': '393.360', 'end': '394.880', 'text': 'Vehicles moved slowly,'}, {'start': '394.880', 'end': '399.920', 'text': 'and police and firefighters had\xa0to continuously clear the streets.'}, {'start': '399.920', 'end': '403.200', 'text': 'Preliminary statistics showed that more than 245'}, {'start': '403.200', 'end': '406.800', 'text': 'houses were damaged and many\xa0electric poles were broken.'}, {'start': '422.000', 'end': '424.400', 'text': 'Residents in Shandong Province even said:'}, {'start': '424.400', 'end': '426.640', 'text': 'The wind was very strong,'}, {'start': '426.640', 'end': '428.320', 'text': 'the rain was very heavy,'}, {'start': '428.320', 'end': '431.280', 'text': 'and the roof tiles of my house were blown away.'}, {'start': '432.000', 'end': '434.720', 'text': 'The roofs, doors and windows of many houses'}, {'start': '434.720', 'end': '439.040', 'text': 'in our neighborhood were also\xa0destroyed by the strong wind.'}, {'start': '439.040', 'end': '441.520', 'text': 'The Shandong Provincial Government has urgently'}, {'start': '441.520', 'end': '446.631', 'text': 'evacuated more than 312 disaster\xa0victims to resettlement areas.'}, {'start': '456.560', 'end': '459.840', 'text': 'According to the China\xa0Meteorological Administration,'}, {'start': '459.840', 'end': '462.960', 'text': 'most areas south of the Yangtze\xa0River will continue to have heavy'}, {'start': '462.960', 'end': '467.120', 'text': 'rain in the next 2 days with no small intensity.'}, {'start': '467.120', 'end': '470.480', 'text': 'The main areas with rain are\xa0concentrated in the East,'}, {'start': '470.480', 'end': '474.080', 'text': 'Southwest, South Jiangnan and most of South China.'}, {'start': '474.720', 'end': '477.280', 'text': 'The weather forecast on land shows that,'}, {'start': '477.280', 'end': '482.160', 'text': 'strong convection will continue for at\xa0least the next 2 days in many places,'}, {'start': '482.160', 'end': '485.120', 'text': 'especially Shaanxi, Shandong and Henan,'}, {'start': '485.120', 'end': '487.920', 'text': 'will continue to face the risk of thunderstorms,'}, {'start': '487.920', 'end': '489.440', 'text': 'strong winds and hail,'}, {'start': '489.440', 'end': '493.937', 'text': 'people need to take strict precautions.'}, {'start': '506.800', 'end': '510.800', 'text': 'In the coming days, the southern region\xa0will continue to have heavy rain,'}, {'start': '510.800', 'end': '515.920', 'text': 'with the main areas of heavy rain concentrated\xa0in central and northern Guangdong,'}, {'start': '515.920', 'end': '518.480', 'text': 'central and northern Fujian.'}, {'start': '518.480', 'end': '524.000', 'text': 'The Central Meteorological Observatory\xa0continues to issue a blue alert for heavy rain,'}, {'start': '524.000', 'end': '528.160', 'text': 'which will occur on May 2 in\xa0some provinces such as Guangdong,'}, {'start': '528.160', 'end': '531.280', 'text': 'the Pearl River Delta, Fujian, Shandong,'}, {'start': '531.280', 'end': '532.720', 'text': 'Zhejiang and Henan,'}, {'start': '532.720', 'end': '538.080', 'text': 'especially heavy to very\xa0heavy rain of 125 to 200mm,'}, {'start': '538.080', 'end': '544.160', 'text': 'accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.'}, {'start': '544.160', 'end': '594.766', 'text': 'Super typhoon level 16 devastated China, thousands of houses collapsed.'}]