2021 Turkish floods
In August 2021, the Black Sea region in Turkey was affected by catastrophic flooding, as a series of thunderstorms that began on 7 August 2021 and continued until the 14th in northern Turkey caused several floods and landslides. The water rose to 4 metres (13 ft) in some locations, and the floods have been described as the worst in Turkey's history. 97 people died and about 228 more were injured in the floods, and more than 1800 people were evacuated as many people were rescued from rooftops. Reports have shown that at least 454 buildings had sustained significant damage. Bridges were also damaged or destroyed, and the infrastructure of multiple towns were significantly affected. Experts have stated that urbanization and climate change in Turkey have made the floods' worse, although to what extent each factor was responsible has been disputed.
NASA satellite image of the western Black Sea region during the flood. | |
Date | 11 August 2021 – 20 August 2021 |
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Location | Bartın, Kastamonu and Sinop provinces, Turkey |
Cause | Torrential rainfall, urbanization, climate change |
Deaths | 97 |
Property damage | $300 million (2021 USD) |
As a response to the floods, the government started a disaster relief campaign, which has faced criticism for using donations instead of taxpayer money. Affected provinces were made disaster areas, and financial help was given to those affected. There have been numerous claims of a hydroelectric power plant malfunction during the flood, which the government has denied. Others have claimed that the public was misled by officials before the event, and that the missing count was an undercount; however, neither of these claims have been confirmed.