A tornado had killed nine villagers and injured 14 others in a village in the northeastern Liaoning Province by 10:30 p.m. Friday, local government announced.

The Zhalanyingzi Village of Chaoyang City, which is home to 80 families, was struck by the tornado around 4:10 p.m. on Friday. The tornado, with the maximum wind force of a strong gale, moved on at a speed of 23 meters per second, according to the local government.

Forty families suffered damages after the tornado swept through, with some houses totally destroyed, said Han Jun, vice mayor of Chaoyang City, who arrived at the village to direct rescue operation.

The rescue efforts were hampered as the road to the village was blocked by a thunderstorm-and-hail weather accompanying the tornado.

The Chaoyang City government is making all-out efforts to organize rescue operations and send relief materials to the village. All villagers affected by the tornado are being accommodated, and economic losses caused by the tornado are being assessed, said Han.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2005)