Floods hit earthquake-affected areas in Türkiye, death toll reaches 14
Heavy downpours on Tuesday caused a river in Adıyaman's Tut district and Malatya's Dogansehir district to overflow. Şanlıurfa was hit hardest, located some 50 kilometers north of the Syrian border.
In 24 hours alone, 136 mm of rainfall fell in Tut district of the province, and 111 mm of rain fell in Şanlıurfa.
«Heavy rain started in the earthquake area at 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday. As of 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday, this rain intensified in Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman,» said the country’s Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.
Footage shows floodwater carrying away cars and debris, getting into the basement and ground floors of buildings in central Şanlıurfa.
AFAD, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, reported 12 citizens were killed in Şanlıurfa, including two persons, who died inside a van stuck at the underpass, and five Syrian nationals, whose bodies were discovered inside an apartment with a flooded basement. Two people were killed in Adıyaman after a container home housing an earthquake survivor family was washed away by raging waves.
Flood waves were seen surging along a street in Şanlıurfa in social media and television footage, carrying away cars and other objects. A man was spotted being lifted by rescuers from the flooded underpass using a rope. Another person was rescued from the flooding by people, who dangled a twisted sheet from the building's window.
«Search and rescue operations are ongoing to identify the whereabouts of five citizens. Damage assessment works have begun in the region,» wrote AFAD on its Twitter.
The agency said its teams in Malatya, Elazığ, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Gaziantep, Kilis and Kahramanmaraş, where orange rainfall warning has been issued, are on alert. The rainfall warning continues to be sent to people via SMS and social media.
In Adıyaman, a total of 346 personnel, including 15 vehicles, 14 professional divers, and 140 search and rescue personnel, were deployed to carry out search and rescue activities, reported AFAD on March 15.
In addition to the construction equipment in the region, ten vacuum trucks, 50 motor pumps and submersible pumps, and six rescue boats were deployed.
In addition to the construction equipment already in Şanlıurfa, 270 pieces of construction equipment have been dispatched, five vacuum trucks, 100 submersible pumps and motor pumps, 25 water boats, 23 search and rescue vehicles, 17 professional divers, 162 search and rescue personnel are currently working in the region. Deliveries from other provinces continue.
Floods are relatively common in Türkiye, particularly in the regions like Şanlıurfa and Adiyaman, which are prone to heavy rainfall or flash floods. Türkiye is located in a region that is exposed to a variety of natural disasters, including floods, due to its geographic location and topography.
In recent years, Türkiye has experienced several devastating floods that have caused significant damage and loss of life, particularly in areas with poor infrastructure and inadequate flood protection measures.
The last was in August 2021, particularly in the northern Black Sea region. Heavy rainfall led to flash floods, landslides, and the overflow of rivers, which caused significant damage to infrastructure, homes, and businesses. The flooding affected several provinces, including Kastamonu, Sinop, Bartın, and Samsun.
According to AFAD, at least 82 people lost their lives, and dozens were injured or reported missing. Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes, and many others were left without electricity or access to clean water. The Turkish government launched a large-scale rescue and relief operation back then with the assistance of the military and emergency services.