Floods that hit northern Turkey over the past week killed at least 70 people, according to a new report released Monday (August 16) by authorities, who continued to search for dozens of people missing. The government agency for the management of natural disasters (AFAD) lists 47 people still missing after the floods, which occurred following heavy rains on Wednesday in provinces located on the Black Sea.
In the district of Bozkurt, one of the most affected, rescuers searched during the weekend the rubble of houses destroyed by the waves, wading up to mid-thigh in the mud, noted a photographer from the Agence France-Presse (AFP). On Monday, excavators were clearing piles of trees, road signs and other objects carried by the water, assisted by soldiers with shovels, according to images broadcast by Turkish television channels.
More frequent and violent natural disasters
The floods, the deadliest Turkey has seen in decades, came at a time when the country was just recovering from large fires, which killed eight people and ravaged tourist areas in the south of the country. For many experts, natural disasters like the ones that follow one another in this country are likely to become more frequent and violent due to global warming caused by human activity.
Several politicians and associations have stepped up pressure on Mr. Erdogan to take radical measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Turkey is one of the few countries that did not adopt the 2015 Paris climate agreement.