Tornado hits tents in quake-hit Pazarcık, 1 dead

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

Due to the storm and the subsequent tornado in the quake-hit Kahramanmaraş’s Pazarcık district, one person lost their life and 50 others were injured.

The tornado dislodged the tents and containers where quake survivors were staying, and the roofs of some buildings also fell on the tents.

About 170 tents were damaged due to the tornado. Upon notification, many health and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced that one person has died and 50 people were injured with eight of them in critical condition, due to the sudden tornado and downpour. The injured quake survivors were taken to the hospital.

Elif Çırahan, one of the survivors who experienced the tornado, said that her two daughters were severely injured. Stating that suddenly the tents started to fly, Çırahan said the last time she saw her daughters, they were covered in blood and she has no idea if they are currently alive or not.

Kırıkkale Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu, who is serving in the region as the coordinating governor, said that the necessary interventions were carried out after the tornado and that the earthquake survivors would be resettled in their tents and containers as soon as possible.

“We have been on the field with all our personnel. Approximately 170 of our tents are damaged. We are planning to quickly renovate them within the day, to place our disaster victims back inside. But it is indeed one of the most interesting disasters I have ever seen. The wind was strong enough to overturn cars, giant cars, to overturn specially made containers, to carry the roofs several hundred meters. I hope we will leave this matter behind us safely without any more bad news,” Tekbıyıkoğlu said.

Sharing his condolences on his social media account, Minister Koca said that he wishes “God’s mercy to the citizen who lost his life” and he hopes that the injured will be regaining their health as soon as possible.