Fire zones in country's southeast declared disaster areas

ANKARA

The areas affected by the agricultural fires in the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakır and Mardin are now officially classified as "disaster areas" and a total of 5 million Turkish Liras ($152,500) in emergency aid has been allocated to families affected by the fires, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) has announced.

In a recent statement, AFAD highlighted that the Köksalan and Bağacık neighborhoods in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır, along with the Yücebağ and Yetkinler neighborhoods in Mazıdağı district of Mardin, suffered significant damage due to the fires.

The fires have resulted in the tragic loss of 15 lives and extensive damage to agricultural lands and livestock. In response, the neighborhoods hit by the fires have been designated as "Disaster Zones Affecting General Life."

To address the urgent needs of those affected, AFAD has dispatched 3 million liras to Diyarbakır and 2 million liras to Mardin. This financial support aims to aid the families of the deceased and those impacted by the fires.

Moreover, an additional 55 million liras, including 50 million liras specifically earmarked for agricultural and livestock damage, have been transferred to the region by the presidency. This funding is intended to help restore the livelihoods of those affected.

“We continue to stand by our nation with all the means of our state and to heal the wounds of our citizens who were damaged in the fires. Once again, we wish God's mercy to our citizens who lost their lives, our condolences to their relatives and families, and our get well wishes to all our citizens affected by the fire,” AFAD said.