Turkey hit by floods, wildfires most in 2021

ISTANBUL

Turkey struggled with floods the most last year, followed by wildfires and landslides, a natural disaster risk map released by the country’s emergency management authority has shown.

In 2021, 107 floods, 66 forest fires, 16 snowstorms and 39 landslides occurred in Turkey, according to the latest report of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

Floods and landslides caused by excessive rainfall hit Turkey’s Black Sea provinces the most last year, and more than 100 people lost their lives due to these natural disasters.

A total of 14,157 personnel and 5,026 vehicles were assigned in Düzce, Rize, Artvin and the West Black Sea Region to manage flood disasters.

Turkey was battered with weeks-long forest fires as the Aegean and the Mediterranean provinces witnessed an unprecedented surge that started in July 2021. Eight people were killed in fires that ravaged coastal resorts.

More than 22,619 personnel and 7,935 vehicles took part in the fire extinguishing efforts.

The report also revealed that 23,753 earthquakes occurred in the country last year. Three of them had a magnitude greater than 6 and no casualties were reported as a result of these tremors.

The comprehensive report prepared by the AFAD was presented to relevant institutions and organizations.

Global warming, which has been changing weather patterns across the country, and rising seawater temperature that is increasing the instances of heavy rainfall in recent years, are major reasons behind such disasters.