Antalya, a major tourist and agricultural hub on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, has braved an extraordinary deluge in a mere 40 days, remarkably matching the city’s entire rainfall for the previous year.
According to official data, the city recorded around 550 kilograms of rain per square meter in a single month-long stretch, matching the total rainfall of the entire last year.
For nearly six weeks, these intermittent but intense downpours have ravaged homes, workplaces and greenhouses, prompting local authorities to launch urgent damage assessment efforts across the region.
Heavy rain also triggered landslides and road collapses.
Meteorology regional director Murat Ayvazoğlu said rainfall has dominated weather conditions since early January, occasionally reaching severe levels.
Temperatures have remained above seasonal averages, increasing the impact of heavy rain.
This extreme weather pattern escalated into severe flooding across multiple districts, particularly Alanya.
Heavy rains, accompanied by storms, submerged residential areas, farmland and businesses. In several districts, schools were temporarily closed.
At Dim Dam, water levels reached critical thresholds, prompting authorities to release water through spillways.
Residents living in ground and basement floors were urgently evacuated, with municipal buses providing transport to public shelters.
Rivers such as Dim River, Oba Stream and Köprüçay River overflowed, damaging picnic areas, roads and agricultural land.
In the Serik district, emergency teams rescued 27 dogs trapped by floodwaters, while in other areas, livestock and infrastructure suffered losses.
As the storm system moved west, Muğla also experienced severe flooding.
According to the officials, initial assessments show damage to 5,773 decares of agricultural land and 550 decares of greenhouses.
Floodwaters affected 44 homes and workplaces, three trout farms and forced the evacuation of 20 houses.
Authorities reported losses including 35 tons of farmed fish, livestock deaths and damage to roads and bridges at 14 locations.
Further north, in Aydın, persistent rainfall caused the Büyük Menderes River to overflow once more.
This time, farmlands in the İncirliova district were submerged.
Teams from the state hydraulic works cleared debris blocking water flow under bridges, while local officials warned residents about waste accumulation increasing flood risks.
Meteorological authorities continue to urge residents across southwestern Türkiye to follow official warnings closely and take precautions against flooding and landslides.
