A tornado hit a construction site in Antalya, Turkey, early Tuesday, killing four workers and injuring a fifth, according to an official. The storm struck the Mediterranean coastal province, destroying a container that housed workers.
Deadly Storm in Kepez District
Governor Hulusi Sahin told reporters that the tornado hit the building site in Antalya's Kepez district, destroying a container and killing four workers inside. A fifth worker, who was staying in another container, was injured in the powerful storm. Three of the workers who died were Syrian nationals, Sahin said. There was no immediate information on the condition of the injured worker.
The tornado also knocked down a crane at the site, Sahin said. It came shortly after the country's weather agency warned of heavy rains.
No Damage Elsewhere in Antalya
There was no damage reported elsewhere in Kepez or in Antalya, which is set to host the UN climate summit, COP31, next month. Antalya is Turkey's fifth most populous city and is known as the country's "capital of tourism" due to its coastline and beaches. The area is popular among British tourists.
Earlier this month, Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, was hit by severe floods that left eight people dead. The downpour began on Wednesday night, October 14, flooding homes and businesses, inundating roads and underpasses, stranding vehicles, and causing traffic chaos.
During the floods, a 14-year-old was electrocuted after stepping into a puddle at a park in the Fatih district, and a 34-year-old slipped on the pavement in the Sariyer district and hit their head, according to local news reports. Images showed several parked cars being swept by the floods, while firefighters rescued a person trapped in a flooded basement. According to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, some areas had the highest amount of rain since 1985.
Previous Flooding in Turkey
Turkey was also hit by flash floods in August, when 62 people died. That flooding hit the country's northern provinces, while the southern coasts battled wildfires. The flooding destroyed buildings and bridges, closed roads, and cut off electricity to hundreds of villages, causing the evacuation of more than 2,000 residents.
