Turkey floods: Death toll rises to 44 after Northern Black Sea ravages several areas

At least 44 people have lost their lives till today evening following severe torrential rains that pounded the Black Sea provinces of Turkey's Bartin, Kastamonu and Sinop, informed Turkey's disaster agency on Saturday. According to the data released by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), 36 people were killed in Kastamonu, seven in Sinop and one in Bartin. "The heavy torrential rains near the Northern Black Sea caused heavy flooding in the area. The flood has demolished homes, severed at least five bridges, swept away cars and rendered numerous roads unpassable, said the disaster department.," said AFAD in a statement. The agency also informed that a total of nine people remained hospitalised in Sinop.

Government death toll mismatches with local resident's claim

Irrespective of the government's claim on the death tolls, locals of Kastamonu took to social media and claimed hundreds of people are still missing from their locality. The social media claim also got the support of an opposition lawmaker. However, the provincial governor’s office refuted the claims and said that "the reports about 250 unidentified bodies were untrue". The governor office also appealed to the citizens to not share any such bogus claim on the social media platforms. Meanwhile, the disaster management affirmed that rescue teams and sniffer dogs had been pressed into the service. AFAD said 5,820 personnel, 20 rescue dogs, 20 helicopters and two search planes were at the disaster spots.

President announces relief measures 

On August 13, Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Bozkurt district in Kastamonu, the worst-hit flood area. "We will do our best as a state as quickly as possible, and hopefully, we will rise from our ashes again," he said. Later in the day, Erdogan announced that the places affected had been declared a disaster area, Anadolu Agency reported. 

It further reported that these places would be able to defer tax dues, and local tradespeople will be allowed to postpone payments to the country's Social Security Institution. Assistance will also be provided to cover property, vehicle, and workplace losses. Businesses' loan repayments will also be postponed, with the state preparing an emergency support plan for disaster-hit areas, Anadolu Agency reported. Earlier today, five crew members from the Russian military and three Turkish specialists who were on board the Russian Be-200 aircraft died in the crash in Turkey, local media reported on Saturday.

(With inputs from AP)

Image Credit: AP