A tornado hit a northeast China county Thursday afternoon, injuring three people and damaging 924 homes, along with toppling trees and wire poles, local authorities said.

The tornado struck Qing'an County at around 4 p.m. in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, cutting off power and telecommunications in several villages, said Liu Fengqi, the county's Party chief.

Residents whose houses were destroyed by the tornado were advised to move in with relatives, if possible. However, those who chose not would be housed temporarily at school campuses, said Li.

The tornado also ravaged more than 3,300 hectares of farmland growing rice and corn that, according to Liu, would seriously affect the season's output.