Flash Floods Claim More Than 20 Lives in Turkey

Flash floods in Northwestern Turkey, caused by two days of heavy rain, have claimed more than 20 lives, with one report stating that the death toll has now reached 30.

Homes and businesses have been overwhelmed by water and cars swept in to the sea as the provinces of Istanbul, home to the city of the same name, Tekirdag and Balikesir have borne the brunt of the flooding. According to CNN, 23 people, including seven women trapped in the minivan in which they were traveling, have lost their lives in the province of Istanbul. Meanwhile in Tekirdag province, like Istanbul and Balikesir a part of the region which lies by the Sea of Marmara, there have been five confirmed deaths. Ria Novosti is reporting that in Bandirma, a city in Balikesir province, seven women drowned as they tried to escape from a bus. It is unclear if they are the same seven women whose deaths CNN states occurred in Istanbul. Military helicopters have been called in to assist with the rescue operation in the city of Istanbul, where the rains which sparked the floods were reportedly the worst in 80 years. Authorities have acknowledged that the situation in the city, which Today's Zaman says is home to 15 million people, has been exacerbated by a poorly designed infrastructure. Upon visiting the area affected by the floods, Turkey's Procurement Minister Mustafa Demir said:

We are saddened by the loss of lives. There are still some people missing and we are searching for them. There is huge damage to infrastructure. We need to be more careful when designing infrastructure and cities

When speaking to the state-run Anatolia News Agency the Governor of Istanbul, Muammer Guler, said that the rainfall in the city during the last two days was virtually the same as would usually be seen in a period of six months. With a number of people still missing further deaths appear likely, with the work of rescuers set to be hampered by further rain that is forecast for Thursday.