Authorities have reinforced flood defenses in the northern province of Tokat after rising water levels in the Yeşilırmak River triggered fears of severe flooding, prompting the evacuation of around 15,000 residents from high-risk areas.
Officials in the Turhal district built a 9-kilometer-long protective embankment using massive rocks along the riverbank after the nearby Almus Dam reached full capacity and began releasing water through its spillway.
The increased discharge from both Almus and Kılıçkaya dams in the Kelkit Valley raised concerns over possible overflow across several districts in the province, leading emergency teams to implement large-scale precautionary measures.
Speaking during an inspection visit to the area, Ali Hamza Pehlivan, head of Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), said more than 4,000 households had been evacuated as part of the operation.
“As with all disasters, the process here involved not only emergency response efforts but also coordinated risk-reduction measures,” Pehlivan said.
Authorities demolished several bridges considered vulnerable to flooding, based on hydrological assessments conducted by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ).
Public guesthouses were opened to shelter displaced residents, with nearly 1,000 people temporarily accommodated there, officials said.
Damage assessment teams remain active in the region while emergency crews, police and gendarmerie units continue evacuation, traffic control and infrastructure protection efforts.
Earlier, severe rainfall also battered the southern province of Hatay, killing three people and leaving a trail of destruction across the city.
