Turkey’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Süleyman Soylu, has announced that the death toll from the floods that hit the Turkish provinces of Adıyaman and Şanlıurfa has risen to 14.
Soylu told reporters that 12 people died in Şanlıurfa and two in Adıyaman. He emphasized that search and rescue efforts for five missing persons are underway in three locations.
“Heavy rain started in the earthquake area from 9am local time on Tuesday. As of 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday, this rain intensified in Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman,” Soylu said.
He added that the heavy rainfall led to a river overflowing, especially in the Tut district of Adıyaman province and in the Doğanşehir neighborhood, causing flooding.
The governor’s office of Şanlıurfa province announced that teaching at all levels has been suspended for one day.
In an area about 25 kilometers long, about 300 rescuers, including divers, are continuing their search and rescue efforts in and around the river.
Meanwhile, the number of people who lost their lives in Şanlıurfa due to flooding has risen to 12 after five more victims were found in the basement of a building.
Two other bodies were also pulled from a vehicle stuck in a flooded underpass.
Search and rescue teams, police, gendarmerie and municipal staff continue to evacuate flood-prone areas.
This natural disaster comes after the provinces of Adıyaman and Şanlıurfa last month were hit by two powerful earthquakes that devastated southern Turkey and caused over 48,000 deaths.
