The number of people killed by floods and mudslides in northern Turkey has risen to 31. Rescue teams have found more than 10 bodies since yesterday. More than 300 people are missing.
Four provinces on the Black Sea were hit by heavy rain on Wednesday. They caused severe flooding, destroying and washing away houses, bridges and cars. More than 1,700 people have been evacuated, some of whom were taken from roofs by helicopters. They are temporarily housed in student dormitories.
Most of the victims were in Kastamonu province, where a river overflowed and flooded the town of Bozkurt.
Anniversary
President Erdogan has canceled festivities surrounding his party’s 20th anniversary. He visited the affected area today and promised that the destroyed houses, roads and bridges will be rebuilt.
The floods in northern Turkey follow another natural disaster in the country, but in the south. At least eight people have been killed in violent forest fires in the provinces of Mugla and Antalya. Thousands of people had to flee and large areas of nature were destroyed by the fire.
The provinces of Bartin, Kastamonu and Sinop have been plagued by heavy rains since the day before yesterday. Streets have been flooded and houses have been destroyed, as can be seen in these images from yesterday:
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