Floods hit Turkey’s north after heavy rainfall

ISTANBUL: Floods caused by unusually heavy rainfall struck Turkey’s northern coast on Wednesday, tearing down a bridge and leaving villages without power, after some of the biggest wildfires in the country’s history ravaged its southwest, agencies report.

State broadcaster TRT Haber quoted as saying one person died from a heart attack in the northern province of Bartin, and emergency workers were looking for another person who was missing. Thirteen people were also injured after a bridge collapsed in Bartin and there were power outages in 12 villages, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said. In Sinop province, 150 miles (240 km) east of Bartin, a house collapsed due to the deluge and cars were left stranded in water. AFAD further said a hospital was being evacuated and some roads were closed in Sinop, warning that strong rains in the area were expected to continue.

Heavy rain also caused a river to overflow in Kastamonu, some 70 km inland, dragging cars and debris downstream, according to TRT.

Turkey’s north is prone to flash floods in the summer when rains are particularly strong. Last year at least five people were killed in the floods in the region.

Turkey has also battled raging wildfires that burnt tens of thousands of hectares of forest along its southern coast for the last two weeks.