Floods raise concerns over gravitational changes in Black Sea region

TRABZON

Recent floods in the Black Sea province of Trabzon have brought about changes in gravitational forces as a result of soil saturation, an expert has pointed out, warning of the increased risk of landslides in the aftermath of the natural disaster.

"Pore water pressure activates cracks on slopes and fault lines when water seeps in, significantly increasing the chance of landslides, particularly on routes with steep slopes," geological engineer Professor Dr. Osman Bektaş said.

Bektaş noted that the northern province is likely to experience serious hazards in these areas in the coming days, underlining that these threats will also have an immediate impact on residential areas.

Attributing the latest flooding across the province largely to the effect of global warming in the Eastern Black Sea, the expert said, “The water in the Black Sea is continually heating up and evaporating. The rising evaporation of water is limited by the mountains of the Eastern Black Sea. Clouds laden with water vapor, therefore, stream toward the Eastern Black Sea's northern slopes.”

Bektaş further claimed that the region is not adequately prepared for the consequences of climate change and that local governments need greater assistance from the centralized administrations in order to lower the chances of such disasters.

This concern follows the torrential rains triggering landslides and flooding in four districts of Trabzon on Sept. 20. These intense rains across the province resulted in numerous residential streets in the inner regions of Arsin, Yomra, Araklı and Sürmene districts becoming impassable.

As a result of the disaster, the body of 65-year-old Ali Kemal Demir, a hearing-impaired resident, was found in the sea one mile offshore, approximately 35 kilometers from the location of his disappearance.