A young male student from Yuanquan Primary School in Gansu Province had minor head injuries on Wednesday after three mini tornadoes ripped a sports event in the elementary school.
China Central Television reported that the first mini tornado, also called dust devil, was about 100 to 130 feet tall, which led school authorities to initiate evacuation of the pupils. However, the second larger dust devil followed immediately which blew debris into the air, while students lay flat in the open area to avoid being blown away, said Fang Fang, a teacher.
The short and thin students were made to lay together on the ground. However, the third dust devil suddenly formed at the center of the school square and spun one pupil into the air. The tornado was about three meters high.
The South China Morning Post named the student lifted into the air as Li Jiaqi, a Grade Three primary student. He sustained minor wound on the back of his head.
Tong Ruiyang, a policeman with the Guazhou Public Security Bureau, said he rushed to the boy to catch the student but by just two or three seconds, the boy fell to the ground.
Besides Li Jiaqi, the dust devil also lifted light things in the area such as chairs, student bags and clothes up to 12 meters off the ground.