Heavy rain on 14 July 2021 triggered flash floods and landslides in the Province of Rize in the Black Sea Region of northern Turkey.
As of 15 July authorities in the province reported 6 people had died and 2 were missing. The districts of Muradiye, Güneysu and Çayeli were all badly affected. Houses collapse or were buried under landslides and flood debris. Over 70 roads in the area have been closed.
A team of 440 emergency workers carried out search, rescue and relief operations, involving boats and helicopters. Turkey’s Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management (AFAD) said 2 bodies were recovered in Merkez in Muradiye, 1 in the town of Güneysu and 3 in the village of Ballıdere in Güneysu district.
According to Turkey’s meteorological agency Meteoroloji Genel Müdürlüğü (MGM) the town of Güneysu recorded 213.6 mm of rain in 24 hours to 15 July, while Çayeli recorded 188.3 mm.
The province saw similar destructive flooding in July 2020 after 272 mm of rain in 24 hours.
Social Media
Bakanımız Sn. @suleymansoylu, Bakanlarımız Sn. @murat_kurum ve Sn. @akaraismailoglu ile birlikte, sel felaketinden etkilenen Rize’de, devam eden arama kurtarma çalışmalarını incelemelerde bulundular pic.twitter.com/vB4TIIrq3I
— T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı (@TC_icisleri) July 15, 2021
Sel felaketinden etkilenen Rize Çayeli’nde, Büyükköy ve Madenli Beldelerindeyiz@murat_kurum @akaraismailoglu @Hayati_Yazici pic.twitter.com/bC7sfn780M
— Süleyman Soylu (@suleymansoylu) July 15, 2021
