NANJING, July 31, 2008 -- Tornadoes killed five people and injured 39 in east China's Jiangsu Province, official sources saidon Thursday.

The first tornado hit Gangshan, Zhouzhuang and Sihu townships in Pizhou City at 5:10 a.m, Wednesday and lasted 20 minutes, said the Jiangsu Meteorological Observatory, and killed one person and injured two. The tornado also destroyed or damaged 253 houses in the three towns.

A second tornado hit Linze Town in Gaoyou City at 3:20 p.m. Wednesday and lasted 15 minutes. Workshops at a garment factory collapsed and 41 workers were injured. The injured workers were sent to hospital. Four of them died despite doctors' efforts.

Gaoyou City has seen frequent tornadoes in recent years. On July 3 last year, the city's Huxi area was hit by the worst tornado in 50 years. Seven people were killed and 53 injured.