Turkey’s south alarmed over new tornado, supercell storm warning

ANTALYA

Schools are off in several districts of the southern province of Antalya on Feb. 6 as experts warned of a “great risk” for deadly tornadoes.

The Antalya Governor’s Office announced that all education from kindergartens to high schools have been halted in Kemer, Kumluca, Finike, Demre and Kaş districts due to the meteorological warnings about a storm that is expected to continue until Feb. 7.

Strong winds may reach as fast as 100 kilometers per hour, the statement said, while warning locals to take precautions in buildings and transportation especially in the western parts of the province.

“The risk of a supercell thunder storm and tornadoes stands at 20 percent, which can be regarded a great risk considering its potential damage,” CNN Türk meteorology editor Bünyamin Sürmeli said on Feb. 6.

Three people had died in Antalya two weeks ago and another citizen went missing after storms and tornadoes hit the province, causing more than 100 million Turkish Liras worth of damage.

“Flood waters of only 50 cm in depth can easily drift away a car,” Sürmeli said, repeating the officials’ warnings that locals should not go out if their work is not urgent.