In a bid to combat an intense heatwave gripping a Chinese city, Chongqing, authorities there launched cloud-seeding missiles to induce rain, resulting in an unexpected incident now known as the “9/2 Chongqing Underwear Crisis.”

Last Monday, artificial rain showers hit the megacity, leading to gusts of wind topping 75 mph. The wind swept residents’ laundry from their balconies, scattering underwear across streets and tree branches. Videos and images of undergarments flying through the sky flooded Chinese social media, turning the serious weather intervention into a humorous spectacle.

A Chongqing resident identified only as Ethele shared her experience on Weibo, saying, “I just went out and it suddenly started to rain heavily, and underwear fell from the sky,” the Express reported.

Another user, who lost an expensive Calvin Klein set to the storm, asked, “Who’s going to compensate me for my emotional damage?”

The incident sparked a wave of reactions online, including one user who suggested that the wild storm could ignite romance, joking, “It’s actually quite romantic. You might even pick up your crush’s underwear while taking a walk on the street.”

The heatwave, which lasted more than a week, had caused significant disruptions, including delays in the reopening of schools and universities. In an effort to lower the soaring temperatures, officials fired nearly 200 rockets into the sky.

While the cloud-seeding technology successfully brought rain, it also led to the unintended consequence of airborne laundry. The hashtag “underwear crisis” garnered seven million views on Weibo, but was surpassed by another hashtag suggesting, “if you think you messed up at work, just think of the Chongqing Meteorological Bureau,” which attracted 18 million engagements.

The deputy director of the Chongqing Weather Modification Office, Zhang Yixuan, claimed the strong winds were a natural occurrence and not a direct result of the cloud seeding. “There are definitely strong winds, but this is caused by natural conditions. Artificial rainfall will not cause extreme weather,” he said, the Express reported.