Some 2,000 families in Black Sea region will be relocated due to climate change
RİZE – Demirören News Agency
The houses of some 2,000 families in the eastern Black Sea region will be evacuated due to flood and landslide risks, within the scope of the Climate Change Action Plan prepared by the Environment and Urbanization Ministry.
In Rize province, where flashfloods have become usual in recent years, 573 structures built on streambeds will be demolished urgently, according to the plan.
“Climate change is a particular concern to the Black Sea basin, which houses Rize province. Because the number of streams and valleys is very high here. We have a different and distinctive precipitation regime,” said Rize Governor Kemal Çeber.
The teams of the Environment and Urbanization Ministry and local administrations have been visiting almost every streambed in the region, he said.
“We will maintain all activities in our province regarding the relocation of the houses on stream beds and adopting new construction models in accordance with climate change,” said Çeber.
The families will move to new buildings constructed as part of an urban transformation campaign.
Some 19,000 streams, 131,000 valleys and roads covering 1,430 kilometers were examined as part of the plan that will be carried out in provinces of Rize, Artvin, Trabzon, Giresun, Ordu and Samsun.
The average sea water temperature in June skyrocketed to 26 degrees Celsius from the last 40 years’ average level of 19 degrees Celsius. Rising water temperatures cause severe local rainfalls, damaging buildings, roads and bridges.
