At least 13 people have lost their lives and several others are missing after torrential rains caused floods in two Turkish provinces that were hit by earthquakes last month. The floods have increased the misery of thousands of people who were left homeless due to the earthquakes. According to Turkish media, the floods killed 11 people in Sanliurfa, which is located about 50km north of the Syrian border. Two people, including a one-year-old, died in nearby Adiyaman.
The floods swept away a container home in the town of Tut where a group of earthquake survivors was living, killing two people in Adiyaman. Governor Numan Hatipoglu said that four people were reported missing. Rescuers found the bodies of five Syrian nationals inside a flooded basement apartment in neighbouring Sanliurfa province and retrieved two other bodies inside a van that was trapped at an underpass. Four other people were killed and two firefighters were reported missing, Sanliurfa Governor Salih Ayhan told HaberTurk television.
Several people were evacuated from a drenched campsite where earthquake survivors were sheltering in tents. Patients were also evacuated from a hospital, HaberTurk reported. Television footage from Sanliurfa showed floodwaters surging along a street and sweeping away cars. Turkey’s disaster management agency said that more than a dozen professional divers were involved in the rescue efforts in each of the two provinces.
The powerful earthquakes that struck parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6 killed more than 52,000 people, with the vast majority of the deaths occurring in Turkey. More than 200,000 buildings in Turkey either collapsed or were severely damaged.
The floods have added to the difficulties faced by the earthquake survivors who are already struggling to cope with the aftermath of the disaster. The Turkish government has been providing aid to the affected areas, but the scale of the destruction is enormous, and it will take time for people to recover from the disaster.
The floods have also highlighted the need for better disaster preparedness and response measures in Turkey. The country is located in a seismically active region and is prone to earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. The government needs to invest more in disaster preparedness and response infrastructure to ensure that people are better protected from future disasters.
The floods have also raised concerns about climate change and its impact on extreme weather events. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves. Turkey needs to take urgent action to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate to protect its people and its economy.
In conclusion, the floods caused by torrential rains have added to the misery of earthquake survivors in Turkey. The government needs to provide more aid to the affected areas and invest in disaster preparedness and response infrastructure to protect people from future disasters. Turkey also needs to take urgent action to address climate change and its impact on extreme weather events.