Tornado victims relocated to 'resort village'

Residents of Funing county in Yancheng, Jiangsu province saw a great change to their homes after a fierce tornado and hailstorm hit the county on June 23, 2016.

Chenliang village, one of the regions severely affected by the disaster, saw the houses of 90 families blown down by the tornado and some 900 residents suffering losses.

Coming as a great surprise to the local victims, they are now able to settle down in unexpectedly comfortable and solid housing so quickly, despite the great damage caused by the disaster, according to interviews with journalists.

A resettlement project for the village was initiated within two months after the disaster and finished in December, effectively transforming the homes of these citizens from "ruins to villas". The settlement, covering an area of 2.37 hectares, is located along the main road of the county which facilitates the travel and commuting of local villagers.

The two-story houses range from 70 to 140 square meters for villagers of Chenliang to choose from. All of the villagers are able to afford the villas as the local government has provided relief subsidies.

Once living in a house of some 70 square meters, Wang Youbao, with a family of six, has now moved into a 140-square-meter home.

"It's no longer crowded for our family of six and the house is well-equipped, which is beyond my expectations," said Wang Youbao.

Supporting infrastructure, including internet access and landscaping, were also constructed at the Chenliang village settlement site. Locals can relax and entertain at the community service center and the public square. According to Wang Youguang, a 59-year-old man resident of Chenliang village, the newly built community is like a resort village.

An aerial photo of Chenliang village settlement site in Funing county, Yancheng shot on Jan 16 [Photo/news.cn]