Heavy rain puts two Black Sea cities on alert

RİZE

AA Photo

Following two days of severe flooding, landslides and transport blockages in the eastern Black Sea region, authorities in the northeastern provinces of Rize and Artvin have warned residents to remain vigilant as more heavy showers and thunderstorms approach.

The Turkish State Meteorological Service said locally heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected from Sept 20 in the eastern Rize districts of Pazar, Ardeşen and Fındıklı, as well as Arhavi, Hopa and Kemalpaşa in northern Artvin. It urged residents to take precautions against flash floods, flooding, lightning, landslides and possible disruptions to transportation.

More than 150 kilograms of rain per square meter fell in parts of Rize on Sept. 19, while some areas recorded as much as 186 kilograms, according to Rize Governor İhsan Selim Baydaş. He said rainfall could bring the total to 200-250 kilograms per square meter in some areas.

The downpour caused rivers to overflow in the districts of İyidere and Pazar, leaving numerous vehicles submerged and flooding homes and businesses. Landslides blocked drainage channels with debris, sending muddy water into urban areas. Seven homes were evacuated as a precaution in İyidere, where nine neighborhoods and seven villages were reported to have sustained damage.

Emergency and municipal crews continued clearing debris, draining floodwater and reopening roads. Traffic was heavily disrupted along the Black Sea Coastal Highway, with long queues reported in several locations.

In neighboring Trabzon, 50 kilograms of rain per square meter were recorded. Streets and roads were flooded, some businesses and ground-floor properties were damaged and a retaining wall collapsed in the Yalıncak neighborhood, prompting the evacuation of residents from two apartment blocks.

Trabzon authorities said hundreds of personnel and vehicles were deployed to respond to 144 emergency reports, while damage assessments continued.

The rainfall also caused muddy runoff to change the color of the Black Sea along parts of the coast.

Separately, flooding in Nevşehir’s Ürgüp district trapped people inside a vehicle beneath a bridge. Residents broke the vehicle’s rear window and helped evacuate them.