The photo shows the aftermath of the tornado. [Photo/Jiangsu Communication Broadcasting Station]

Why it caused such huge casualties

The tornado has been scaled at EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which indicates its wind speed will reach between 218 kilometers to 266 kilometers per hour, the state broadcaster China Central Television reported.

The Enhanced Fujita scale has six scales from EF0 to EF5.

Yancheng city government said that the tornado on Thursday was the second strongest one that has ever struck the city, just weaker than the one on March 3, 1966.

The tornado struck densely populated areas, along with gales, rainstorms and hailstorms, to cause the huge casualties in the eastern city of Yancheng, Jiangsu province on Thursday, according to media reports and experts.