VIDEO: Tornado wreaks havoc in eastern Istanbul

ISTANBUL

A powerful, non-supercell tornado over water has caused damage after it hit the eastern shores of Istanbul on June 19.

The tornado, a rare occurrence for northwestern Turkey, was first seen over the Marmara Sea before passing through the Pendik and Tuzla neighborhoods of Istanbul and reaching the province of Kocaeli.

The tornado caused some material damage in Tuzla, Doğan News Agency reported on June 20. Villas in the Mercan area were severely damaged. The tornado picked a yacht up from the sea and threw it into a residential area’s garden 100 meters away. Fences and roofs were damaged and several windows were broken, shattering glass around the area.

Officials had warned the public of heavy rain, while images of the tornado and its aftermath were widely shared on Turkish social media.