Beijing, May 20 (IANS): Gales and hailstorms have affected the lives of over 230,000 people in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, officials said.
The violent weather has damaged 14,160 hectares of crops and 37 houses in five cities in Shandong, a provincial spokesman told Xinhua.
The disasters have caused direct economic losses worth over 42 million yuan (about $6.6 million), mainly in agriculture.
Linqing was the worst-hit city, with 150,000 people affected by the disaster.