Tornado kills four in Antalya as Greece and Turkey brace for floods

Four construction workers died on Tuesday after a tornado formed within a severe thunderstorm in Antalya, a coastal city in southwest Turkey. The event marked the deadliest weather event in the region so far this week. Authorities in Greece and Turkey have issued severe rainfall and flooding warnings as a low-pressure area continues to fuel powerful storms across southeastern Europe.

The weather system has moved slowly, allowing intense precipitation to accumulate. Meteorologists expect an additional 100 to 150 millimeters of rain, nearly 4 to 6 inches, to fall in central Greece and western Turkey during the coming days. Local totals may exceed these averages in specific areas. The heavy downpours are expected to strain drainage systems and increase the risk of flash flooding.

The storm system is not limited to the Mediterranean. Cyclone Arnab made landfall in the Indian states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The cyclone brought wind gusts exceeding 85 mph and rainfall totals above 200 millimeters in some regions. Officials ordered the mass evacuation of more than 180,000 people. Energy and transport networks in the affected areas have suffered widespread disruption.

Arnab is expected to weaken as it moves northward over the next few days. Despite the reduction in wind speed, the storm will continue to deliver heavy rain to parts of northern and central India. In the western Pacific, Typhoon In-fa was upgraded to super typhoon status on Wednesday. It now has sustained winds of 150 mph, with gusts reaching over 185 mph.

The typhoon is traveling northwest and is forecast to avoid Guam, which was hit by Typhoon Champi earlier this month. However, the Mariana Islands are in its path. Residents of the islands have already endured four super typhoons this year. In the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Vance has weakened to a tropical depression.

Vance has brought heavy rain and dangerous coastal conditions to western Mexico. The regions of Sinaloa, Durango, and Nayarit recorded between 50 and 100 millimeters of rain, with some local areas exceeding 150 millimeters. The high rainfall is causing flooding and landslides. Storm swell has created dangerous surf and rip current conditions along the coast.