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Flash floods cause bridges to collapse, mud rivers to flow, hundreds to call for help in northern and southern Turkey
Flash floods cause bridges to collapse, mud rivers to flow, hundreds to call for help in northern and southern Turkey
Torrential rains have caused massive flooding and landslides in the northern and southern regions of Turkey, particularly hitting the Black Sea region where at least four bridges collapsed and hundreds of people were rescued after being stuck in their homes or cars. Click through for the story in photos...
The Cevizdere River in the northern province of Ordu’s Ünye district flooded early on Aug. 8. Hundreds of citizens were evacuated with Coast Guard helicopters, local media reported.
Ünye Mayor Ahmet Çamyar told journalists seven people were injured during incidents related to flood, while dozens of others were on wait to be rescued.
A bridge on the highway between Ordu and the neighboring province of Samsun was among the four that collapsed due to floods.
In Ordu’s Perşembe district, four cars crashed in a tunnel amid the flooding, leading to a fire.
A number of buildings have also been damaged in the flood.
“The transportation infrastructure has completely collapsed and 30 tons of walnuts have also been destroyed” due to the floods said Ordu’s Çaybaşı district mayor İsmet Yanık.
“This is the third flood in 20 days and we are coping with it by our own means,” Yanık added.
While Turkey’s Black Sea region expects another storm on Aug. 9, the southern provinces are also on alarm.
Antalya’s Elmalı district was hit by two flash floods in 24 hours on Aug. 6-7, which brought a river of mud from higher elevations, while also causing landslides. Dozens of houses were damaged in the flood, as well as hundreds of acres of agricultural fields.
“We dipped into mud two meters high. The amount of rain we received in 45 minutes is greater than we normally get in three months,” Elmalı Mayor Ümit Öztekin told Demirören News Agency on Aug. 8.
Experts warn the “abnormal” is the new normal due to climate change. “This is what we call convectional precipitation, which occurs when the Earth’s surface becomes heated more than its surroundings, causing short but heavy rains,” Meteorology Agency’s Fourth Region Director Davut Öztürk told the agency.
“We will see more of this kind of flood because of increased urbanization and the ‘heat islands’ it creates,” he added.
Photos: Demirören News Agency
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