Death toll rises to eight in flood-hit Black Sea province

ARTVİN – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

A total of eight people were killed in the floods that affected the Black Sea province of Artvin on Aug. 24, with one child still remained missing.

According to initial reports, Hacer Kara, 56, Altan Kara, 60, Funda Toksoy, 41, Sabri Acıbadem, 41, Nermin Demir, 59, Emniyet Gedik, 55, Ünsal Gedik, 41, and Erdal Eren Gedik, 17, were killed in the floods that hit the Hopa district after heavy rainfall. 

Rescue work is ongoing to find the missing five-year old child. 

Forestry and Waterworks Minister Veysel Eroğlu has arrived in Hopa to inspect the aftermath of the disaster, saying the General Directorate of Meteorology had warned about the danger of heavy rain on Aug. 23.

“We had stated that there would be heavy rain. The municipality and district governorate even warned citizens. We were expecting a heavy rainfall, up to 250 millimeters across the country in just six hours. If we consider that 640 millimeters fall across Turkey in one year, a total of four months’ worth rain fell in six hours,” Eroğlu said. 

“We are here with all our teams. We will relieve the wounds. Unfortunately, the total death toll is now eight due to landslides. We also have one missing child. We see that he or she was probably dragged to the sea. Rescue teams will search for the child in the morning, but probably we have lost nine lives here,” he added.

Eroğlu also said the Prime Minister’s Office had immediately sent a total of 10 million liras monetary aid to the affected area and reinforcement equipment from nearby cities had been deployed there.