At least 23 people were killed and 161 injured on Thursday when a tornado struck China's southwestern Chongqing Municipality, damaging houses and crops.

The tornado - followed by torrential rains, hail storms and high winds - hit Dianjiang and Liangping counties at around 2:00 am (2330 IST), state-run Xinhua news agency reported. "At least 23 people died and 161 others were injured," it said quoting local government officials.