Hailstones The Size Of EGGS Batter Chinese Cities Forcing Residents To Hide Indoors

Hailstones the size of eggs have battered Chinese cities this week, causing millions of pounds worth of damage and forcing residents to hide indoors.

Locals were forced to cower in terror and resort to covering their cars in blankets when giant hailstones fell during a storm.

The damage extended from broken windows to damaged roofs, cars and destroyed crops.

The thunderstorm lasted just a few minutes but nevertheless spread across several cities in central China’s Henan Province, such as Sanmenxia, Luoyang, and Nanyang.

Hailstones begin as small ice particles that slowly grow as they are suspended in clouds during storms.

As the hailstone moves with a storm, it collides with water droplets and grows larger with each collision. They have been known to be as large as oranges.

Resident Lin Huey, 53, of Luoyang said: ‘It was quite frightening because the sound of the hail on my roof was like someone banging with a hammer.
 
‘I told all my family to stay indoors in case they got hurt. My neighbour was very upset because her windscreen shattered when it was hit.’

Local hospitals in China reported numerous cases of people being injured by the huge hailstones despite the early weather warning, but added that none of those were serious although many had been left with bruised heads and bodies.

Police and weather experts were advising people to stay indoors before the hailstorm hit.
 
Local Ming Hu whose car had over 50 dents from the balls of ice told local TV: ‘I reckon a bruise on the head would have been better, at least that would have healed without having to spend a fortune."

A similar storm occurred in March of 2013 in China’s southern provinces which left at least nine people dead and serious damage across the region.