On Sunday, March 31, 2024, a severe windstorm swept through Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China, leading to the deaths of three individuals after they were ejected from their high-rise apartments. The incident occurred in a waterfront neighborhood located in the southern part of the city, where the victims were asleep around 3 a.m. as the storm ravaged the exterior walls of their residences.
A minimum of seven individuals perished in the catastrophic storm that covered nine urban areas, including Nanchang and Jiujiang. According to the Jiangxi Provincial Emergency Flood Control Headquarters, the devastating conditions impacted 93,000 residents across 54 counties.
The victims from the high-rise have been identified as a 64-year-old woman, her 11-year-old grandson, and another woman aged 60. Their identities were confirmed through messages in a neighborhood chat group and later verified by local emergency authorities, as reported by Jimu News, a Hubei-based news organization.
The story of the 60-year-old woman has captured the attention of the nation, sparking widespread discussion on Weibo, China’s version of X, with over 300 million views by Monday. Video footage from the scene showed her 11th-floor apartment’s extensive damage, highlighting a vast hole where the windows once protected the interior. The remnants of an empty bed frame and torn curtains were visible within the wreckage.
A detailed account from the woman’s partner, identified only by his surname Wan, described the terrifying moments when he woke to the storm’s fury. Speaking with local media, he described waking up at 3 a.m. to the storm’s chaos and the destruction of his balcony’s glass due to the wind. He had slept in a different room from his partner that night and attempted to rouse her. “I ran to the room to get my partner but got no answer when I called out,” he said. He later discovered her body outside the apartment building, a fact his daughter shared with reporters.
Another devastating loss involved the 64-year-old woman and her grandson, with the surnames Liu and Xu, who were sharing a bedroom on the 20th floor. They were swept away along with their mattress.
Media coverage following the catastrophe showed various apartments in the neighborhood stripped of their glass facades, leaving behind distorted frames. This has led to inquiries regarding the construction quality of the affected high-rise buildings. Mainly, scrutiny has fallen on a former manager at the development company who was convicted of bribery. However, it remains unclear if there is a direct link between his actions and the structural integrity of the buildings.
Despite some claims that the glass facades were installed by a decoration company the owners chose, the incident has fueled a broader debate over construction standards and regulatory oversight. Following the incident, the Nanchang Emergency Management Bureau has warned of continued strong winds and rainstorms over the next few days.