Rainfall average drops 11 percent in Turkey in August
ISTANBUL
Precipitation across Turkey in the month of August has been below the year’s average, dropping at 11 percent where the average rainfall recorded is 12.1 millimeters compared to last year’s 19.7 millimeters, according to the data by Turkish State Meteorological Service gathered by state-run Anadolu Agency.
In August, the rate of rainfall increased in only two of Turkey’s seven regions in eastern and southeastern provinces, the Aegean and eastern Anatolian, while it declined in other parts.
When compared to last year’s August, the average rainfall has declined the most for the North Aegean, central and western Black Sea regions.
In the western and southern coastal regions of Turkey, the average rainfall has nosedived by 80 percent.
While precipitation was below one millimeter in the west of the Black Sea Region last month, high precipitation up to 190 mm was recorded in the east.
The Black Sea provinces of Düzce and Zonguldak had the lowest rainfall in the last 40 years, whereas the highest rainfall in August of the last 21 years took place in Giresun province.
At least 11 people died, 193 got injured and four people went missing after the heavy rains in Giresun that triggered floods.
Experts predict that the decrease in precipitation may lead to problems such as water shortage and shrinkage of agricultural lands in the medium term.
