Flash floods claim 16 lives in earthquake-stricken Turkish provinces

The death toll from the devastating flash floods in the Turkish provinces of Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman has risen to 16. These provinces were severely affected by last month’s powerful earthquakes.

Heavy rainfall since March 14, 2023, has disrupted normal life, with streets and hospitals being inundated and highways collapsing.

Severe flash floods turned streets into raging rivers, sweeping away vehicles, and flooding homes and campsites housing earthquake survivors. Most fatalities occurred in Şanlıurfa, where rescue teams discovered two bodies among the mud and debris on March 16. One person is still missing in the area.

Adıyaman also faced tragic losses, as two individuals drowned when a container home, sheltering an earthquake-affected family, was washed away by the floodwaters. A nurse and her two-year-old child are currently missing in the region.

On February 6, 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck 11 Turkish provinces, including Adıyaman and Şanlıurfa. The disaster resulted in more than 48 000 deaths in Turkey and approximately 6 000 fatalities in northern Syria.

The recent flash floods have further compounded the hardships faced by the residents of these earthquake-stricken provinces, as they continue to cope with the aftermath of the natural disasters.

References:

¹ Flood deaths in Turkey’s earthquake-stricken area rise to 16 – ABC -March 16, 2023

² Death toll from ravaging floods in Türkiye’s southeast hits 15 – The Daily Sabah – March 16, 2023

Featured image credit: Şanlıurfa Government