Tornado in Türkiye's quake-hit Kahramanmaraş kills 1, injures 40
Tents damaged by a roof of a building following a tornado are seen in the Pazarcık district in Kahramanmaraş province, Thursday, April 20, 2023. (DHA Photo)


At least one person died, and 40 others were injured Thursday after a tornado hit the Pazarcık district in Türkiye’s southeastern Kahramanmaraş province, which was already devastated by twin earthquakes in February.

Eight people were seriously injured following the tornado, Demirören News Agency (DHA) reported.

The tornado devastated tents and containers, which have temporarily become the home of earthquake survivors. Around 170 tents were damaged, the DHA report said.

The roofs of some buildings flew because of the tornado and damaged tents.

Some vehicles were also turned upside down following the tornado, causing material damage.

Gendarmerie and commando squads arrived in the region to provide assistance shortly after the disaster, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

"Our tents flew away after the tornado hit," Elif Çırahan, an earthquake survivor who is currently taking shelter in a tent with her family in the district, told DHA. She continued by saying that two of her daughters were injured and that she did not know about their health conditions.

Kırıkkale Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu, who is currently in the region as an appointed coordinator governor, noted that the tents damaged in the disaster will be immediately repaired.

He explained the strength of the tornado, saying that it swept cars, containers and even huge vehicles.