18 injured as ferocious storms, powerful tornado batter Turkey’s beleaguered Izmir (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
The western Turkish province of Izmir was subjected to the full fury of mother nature overnight, as a tornado flung cars into the air, uprooted trees and toppled a crane, injuring at least 18 people.
A ferocious hailstorm started pummeling the province at approximately 9 p.m. local time before a tornado touched down and capsized boats in the harbor and flung vehicles high into the air.
Tufan #İzmirpic.twitter.com/b9wSqcj6T5
— Hakan🇹🇷 (@___Samsunlu___) February 11, 2021
İzmir, son olsun...12.02.2021 #alaçatı#izmir#alaçatıport#dalinindelisi#hortumpic.twitter.com/VLizqkfjI2
— dalinindelisi™ (@burcutuna) February 12, 2021
Sağanak yağışla birlikte Urla, Güzelbahçe, Narlıdere başta olmak üzere bazı ilçelerimizde dolu yağışı da etkili oluyor. Ekiplerimiz su baskınlarına karşı alarmda. Vatandaşlarımızın da dikkatli olmasını rica ederiz. pic.twitter.com/HSzm5MQYIU
— İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi (@izmirbld) February 11, 2021
Çeşme Alaçatı Port bölgesinin inşaat alanında, aşırı yağış ve fırtınayla birlikte meydana gelen hortumda, konteyner ve vinç direği devrildi, bazı evlerin çatıları ise uçtu. Yaralı vatandaşlarımız var. Ekiplerimiz olay yerinde, gereken çalışmaları yapıyor. pic.twitter.com/rwVD6YG4e3
— İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi (@izmirbld) February 11, 2021
More than 16 people were hospitalised initially, including nine struck by a falling crane in the Alacati area, though this figure was later updated by local authorities.
Hortum felaketinin boyutları gün ağarınca ortaya çıktı pic.twitter.com/N2oW7IMCuj
— İhlas Haber Ajansı (@ihacomtr) February 12, 2021
"In the space of just 20 seconds there was a great misfortune. We see a very sad picture. Many roofs have been blown off, vehicles lifted up and smashed to the ground. It's unbelievable," Izmir Mayor Tunc Soyer told reporters as he surveyed the damage.
Hortum ve dolu felaketlerinin ağır hasar verdiği Alaçatı'da tüm ekiplerimizle birlikte saha çalışmasındayız. Hasar tespitini bir an önce yapıp yaraları saracağız. İzmir’in üst üste yaşadığı olağanüstü afetler iklim değişikliğinin sonuçlarını artık gizlenemez şekilde gösteriyor. pic.twitter.com/1cNR2MiUm2
— Tunç Soyer (@tuncsoyer) February 12, 2021
Soyer said the situation may have been far worse were it not for the nighttime curfew imposed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Several cars in the area were flung over the rooftop of houses and were found far as eight to 10 meters (33 feet) away from their parking spots; it’s clear there is significant damage,” said Izmir Gov. Yavuz Selim Kosger.
Elsewhere in Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city, a road collapsed while roofs were ripped from dozens of houses.
Less than two weeks ago, one person was killed when flash floods struck Izmir, with authorities already sounding the alarm about the potential financial cost of what they described as natural devastation induced by climate change. The region also experienced a deadly 7.0 earthquake at the end of 2020.
Also on rt.com At least 22 people dead in Turkey after 7.0 quake hits Aegean SeaThink your friends would be interested? Share this story!