In the examples below what does 中 stand for and how is it pronounced?
15日は海からの強い風が吹きつける中、およそ２０人の男たちが、運河に架かる橋の欄干から次々と水の中に飛び込みました。
and
オホーツク海の流氷が南下する中、北海道紋別市の流氷観光船「ガリンコ号」が今シーズン初めて流氷の中を航行し、観光客が雄大な景色を楽しみました。
Is 中 attached to the verb (I thought it can be attached like this only to nouns), or is it separate from it (if so why isn't there の between them) or is something else the case here?
The pronunciation is "naka（なか）," "中{なか}."
"中{なか}" = during, while or "・・・in blowing strong wind", "・・・in advancing southwards".
強い風が吹きつける中
= 「強い風が吹きつける」＋「中=during or while」
= 強い風が吹きつける最中
As mentioned already, 中 also means "during or while" and pronounciation is "naka".
However, 中 sometimes includes Contradictory conjunction nuance. So, the first exapmle means that 20 mens dived to sea though or despite of strong wind.
～ている(時に) doesn't have such a nuance. It just means while or during.
The second example's 中 is almost same as "while" (not including contradictory conjuction nuance)
