Strong wind and hail hit north China's Hebei Province, killing one person and injuring 23 others on Thursday and Friday, the local authority said on Saturday.

The disaster has affected about 2.7 million people in Shijiazhuang, Xingtai and Hengshui cities. The direct economic loss was estimated to be 2.34 billion yuan (342.6 million U.S. dollars), said a spokesman with the provincial civil affairs department.

The diameter of the largest hail stone was four centimeters, he said.

One person was killed and another 23 were injured in a prefabricated house in Luancheng County after it collapsed in a rainstorm.

In the worst-hit Shijiazhuang, hail and strong winds swept through with the speed of 24.5 to 28.4 meters per second for about 20 minutes.

Local government officials have arrived at the sites to organize efforts to fight the disaster.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2009)

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