The death toll in the floods in northwest Turkey has reached seven people. The bodies of three men were found yesterday and today during search operations in Istanbul and the Kocaeli district, TRT Haber and the Yeni Şafak newspaper reported, BTA reports.
Last Tuesday, Istanbul was hit by torrential rains, with the amount of precipitation reaching between 180 and 273 liters per square meter. Described as the most intense in 84 years, the torrential rains caused severe flooding and overflowing rivers in several parts of the metropolis, as well as in the eastern district of Kocaeli.
After the disaster, authorities launched search operations, in which the bodies of four people were initially found. In parallel, actions were taken to clear the affected areas and remove buildings built near riverbeds in order to limit the risk of further overflows.
According to information from TRT Haber, a police helicopter search in the Golden Horn region of Istanbul found the body of a citizen of Turkmenistan who had been missing since last Wednesday.
In a separate operation in the Gebze area of Kocaeli district, the body of a man who had been reported missing on Saturday was also found yesterday. He was in a jeep that was swept away by the rising waters of the ongoing torrential rains into a ravine. Another person was also in the vehicle, and the search for him is ongoing.
Another body was found early this morning in the Istanbul district of Ayazga, which is among the worst-hit by the recent floods, reports “Yeni Şafak“.
Search operations are continuing in Ayazga for a man who has been missing since Saturday. Authorities are also continuing their work on the cases of the others who went missing after the disaster.