At least five people have died in flooding in northern Turkey as the country recovered from deadly fires, authorities said on Thursday (August 12th).
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“
Five of our fellow citizens have died due to flooding in Kastamonu province.
Research is continuing to try to locate a missing person
, ”said the government agency responsible for natural disasters (AFAD) in a statement.
The call to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The floods, which mainly affected the provinces of Kastamonu, Bartin and Sinop, located on the shores of the Black Sea, were caused by intense rainfall overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Water levels had risen up to four meters high in some towns on Wednesday, authorities said, and the streets of entire towns had turned into torrents carrying cars and traffic signs.
“
This is a disaster that we haven't experienced for 50 or 100 years, maybe.
In places, we have recorded rainfall records
, ”Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said on Wednesday.
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The intense precipitation was also the cause of several landslides, one of which caused the partial collapse of a road bridge.
Eight people had to be hospitalized.
Regions in the north and northeast of Turkey are regularly affected by deadly floods.
Turkey has been the scene in recent months of several natural disasters, including episodes of severe drought and violent forest fires between late July and early August.
After this black series, several politicians and associations urged the government to take radical measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Turkey has not ratified the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
