At least nine people have died, one remains missing, and 70 others were injured after four tourist boats capsized due to sudden gales on a river in Qianxi County, located in China’s southwest Guizhou province, state media reported on Sunday.

The tragic accident occurred on Sunday afternoon when severe weather, including rainstorms, hail, thunder, and strong winds, struck the area. A total of 84 people fell into the water. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for the last missing person.

Eyewitnesses told Chinese outlet Red Star News that the weather changed rapidly, with visibility dropping due to heavy fog and rainfall. The local meteorological department had issued a yellow alert earlier, warning of potential thunderstorms in several regions.

In response to the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out rescue effort to locate the missing and treat the injured. Nearly 500 emergency personnel, including police, firefighters, and medical teams, have been mobilized for the ongoing rescue and relief operations, according to Xinhua News Agency.

This is not the first maritime tragedy in the province. In December, eight people lost their lives after another boat capsized in Guizhou.

Adding to a string of recent weather-related accidents in China, a helicopter crashed on Friday in Suzhou’s Wuzhong district, Jiangsu province, due to bad weather. The crash killed one person on the ground and injured four crew members onboard. The aircraft reportedly fell from about 10 meters while returning to Wuzhong airspace.

Earlier this year, another fatal boating accident occurred in central China’s Hunan Province. A passenger vessel collided with an oil waste recovery ship on the Yuanshui River, resulting in 11 deaths and five missing persons. Only three of the 19 people on board were rescued.