2 yıl önce

Floods leave more than dozen dead in southeastern Türkiye

Tuesday's heavy downpours caused flooding in Adiyaman and Sanliurfa provinces, which were hit last month by devastating earthquakes.

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Efforts to rescue residents trapped in the city are ongoing in different neighborhoods of Sanliurfa.

At least 13 people have been killed by flash floods in Türkiye's southeastern Adiyaman and Sanliurfa provinces, the interior minister said.

Suleyman Soylu told reporters in Sanliurfa on Wednesday that 12 people were killed in Sanliurfa and two in Adiyaman.

He said search and rescue efforts for five people who are missing are currently underway in three locations.

"Heavy rain started in the earthquake area as of 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday. As of 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday, this rain intensified in Sanliurfa and Adiyaman," he said.

Heavy downpours caused a river, especially in Adiyaman's Tut district and in Malatya's Dogansehir district to overflow causing flooding, he added.

The Sanliurfa governorship announced on Twitter that education at all levels was suspended for one day.

After a woman died in the floodwater, the body of another woman was found in the ongoing search and rescue efforts in Tut.

In an area of approximately 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) long, around 300 rescuers, including divers, continue their search and rescue efforts in and around the river.

Meanwhile, the number of people who died in Sanliurfa due to the flood rose to 12 after the remains of five victims were recovered in the basement of an apartment building.

Two other bodies were also retrieved from a vehicle caught in a flooded underpass.

Disaster teams, police, gendarmerie, and municipality staff continue to evacuate areas at risk of flooding.

This comes after Adiyaman and Sanliurfa were hit last month by twin earthquakes that devastated southern Türkiye and left more than 48,000 dead.