Flash floods in Turkey’s northern Black Sea region killed at least six people, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday, and authorities were searching for 10 missing people, Reuters reported.
Floodwaters caused by unusually heavy rainfall dragged debris and vehicles along a road, leaving them buried in mud, footage from the province of Giresun showed. Residents were seen clearing streets, as construction equipment lifted the debris and cleared roads.
Speaking in İstanbul, Erdoğan said the floods had spread to neighboring provinces as well, causing injuries in Rize and Trabzon.
“In the initial reports we received, we had five dead and around 12 injured as a result of heavy floods,” Erdoğan said. “God willing, we will quickly deal with the damage and destruction,” he said.
Later, rescue teams found another dead body, while 10 people were still missing.
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said 153 people had been rescued so far and nearly 1,000 aid workers were searching for the missing people. He said power was restored in some areas, but there was extensive damage to the infrastructure.
“We were not expecting such a severe incident in the area,” he told reporters in Giresun, along with Environment Minister Murat Kurum, who said 17 buildings had collapsed and 361 others were damaged.
Rainfall in Giresun had exceeded averages for the month of August by a factor of 1.5, but agricultural damage in the region was less than expected, said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli.