17 dead in China storms

BEIJING, April 17 (UPI) -- A severe storm accompanied by gale force winds and hailstones hammered China's Guangdong province, leaving dozens of people dead and injured, officials said.

The death toll from the weekend storm had risen to at least 17 with another 118 injured by Monday in the southern province's Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing and Dongguan cities, flood control officials said.

Lashing rains were accompanied by gale force winds of more than 101 miles per hour and hailstones, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

Most of the victims were killed or injured by collapsing structures and flying objects, the report said.