Rockfalls triple in the eastern Black Sea region

ARTVIN

Landslide-induced rockfalls in the northeastern province of Artvin have tripled in January 2024, a stark increase surpassing all of 2023, with experts linking it to global climate change.

Sudden, localized and heavy rains in the eastern Black Sea region due to the effects of global climate change have caused an alarming increase in landslides, especially on steep slopes where highways pass.

Soil, rocks, and boulders, both large and small, that have dislodged from the slopes by the landslides fall onto the highways, endangering the drivers on the route.

Industrial climbers are cleaning up the dangerous rocks hanging from the slopes, while measures are being stepped up with steel mesh and shotcrete to prevent rocks from falling.

According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), the number of landslides in Artvin tripled to 21 before the end of the first month of 2024, a rapid increase from the seven landslides that happened last year.

Experts believe that this increase is due to global climate change.

"Water seeps into rock masses and cracks, causing rock falls. It is possible to observe these events more often with the increase in precipitation. If we consider Artvin in general, seven landslide events were observed in 2023, five of which were rock falls," Professor Ayberk Kaya from Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University explained.

Warning drivers to report even the slightest rock fall, Kaya said, "It is likely that there is a risk of larger rockfalls. Our relevant institutions are taking measures in the areas where rockfall incidents have taken place."