A tornado hit the Pazarcık district in Turkey’s southeastern Kahramanmaraş province on Thursday, resulting in at least one death and 40 injuries. The district had already been struck by twin earthquakes in February, leaving earthquake survivors to reside temporarily in tents and containers. The tornado damaged around 170 of these tents, causing them to fly away or be destroyed.
The roofs of some buildings were also lifted and flew away because of the tornado, causing further damage to the tents. Some vehicles were turned upside down, resulting in material damage. The tornado caused serious injuries to eight people, and the gendarmerie and commando squads were quickly deployed to provide assistance.
Elif Çırahan, an earthquake survivor, said that two of her daughters were injured in the tornado, and she did not know about their health conditions. Kırıkkale Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu, who is currently in the region as an appointed coordinator governor, stated that the damaged tents would be immediately repaired. He explained that the tornado was powerful enough to lift cars, containers, and even large vehicles.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of earthquake survivors, who are already dealing with the trauma and loss caused by the earthquakes and are now facing additional challenges due to the tornado. The authorities must take swift action to provide support and assistance to those affected by the disaster.