Locals flock to Munzur, Pülümür rivers in eastern Turkey amid scorching temperatures

TUNCELİ

Locals flocked to the Munzur and Pülümür rivers in the eastern Turkish province of Tunceli amid blistering temperatures over the weekend, to enjoy clear and cold waters pumping through a rocky corridor, Doğan News Agency has reported. 

Families flocked to beaches on the rivers from nearby towns and cities. What’s more, some who are originally from Tunceli itself but currently living in European countries, and who previously spent their holidays in Aegean or Mediterranean provinces, this time opted to vacation in Tunceli. 

One woman from the northeastern province of Erzincan was quoted as saying that they had previously gone to Bodrum but did not like the popular Aegean town. 

“We went to Bodrum but it was very expensive and we could not find a beautiful atmosphere like in Tunceli. So we left Bodrum and instead took a dive in the cold waters of Munzur and Pülümür,” Sevgi Yıldız said.

“We are very happy here. There is no one here asking us for money [to enter the beach],” she said, inviting everyone to Tunceli’s “river beaches.” She stressed that there were no “security concerns” despite ongoing anti-terror operations in the province. 

Another man opting to vacation in Tunceli this year was Mert Aktaş, who lives in Germany. 

“Until recently we always as a family went to the Aegean coast. But this year we chose our holy lands. These places are beautiful. The waters are ice cold, everyone should prefer here. Tunceli’s beaches are more beautiful than Aegean and Mediterranean coasts and I spend a much better time here,” Aktaş said.

Turkey has been sweltering in a record heatwave in the recent days, with officials saying temperature across the country is 6 to 10 degrees above seasonal normal levels. 

Amid the scorching temperatures, many locals have been flocking to beaches and swimming pools across the country to try to cool down.