Authorities in the Black Sea region will remain on high alert throughout May due to the risk of floods and inundation, as spring rainfall in the country’s north is expected to exceed normal levels by more than 60 percent.
“We have received rainfall in our country, particularly in the Black Sea Region, at levels around 60 percent above normal compared to last year. We expect this pattern to continue until the end of May,” said Professor Dr. Turgay Dindaroğlu, the head of the Forest Engineering Department at Karadeniz Technical University (KTÜ).
While this situation is significant for agricultural ecosystems, Dindaroğlu warned that it also brings serious risks and threats for the Eastern Black Sea region, where steep terrain is highly vulnerable to sudden and intense downpours. “Floods and flash floods are among the main problems,” he said.
He stressed that drainage systems must be cleaned at the basin scale, and that materials blocking stream flow, as well as major obstacles such as settlements, should be removed to ensure proper drainage during sudden rainfall events.
The expert also warned about erosion, describing it as a “hidden danger” that must not be overlooked.
This week, a wave of torrential rain and hailstorms has battered several Turkish provinces. Severe flooding in the Black Sea province of Samsun triggered flash floods that swept away vehicles and left streets buried under thick layers of mud.
Flash floods inundated Samsun’s Havza district after a stream overflowed following intense rainfall.
In Çorum’s Sungurlu district, a tornado caused significant damage, ripping roofs off houses amid fallen trees and damaged structures, with five people injured.
Local authorities said damage in Oyaca village was particularly severe, noting that “about 80 percent of the buildings are now uninhabitable.”
