Heavy rainfall and flood in İzmir

* Photos: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish

Turkey's Aegean province of İzmir was hit by heavy rainfall yesterday evening (January 12). While the rain led to floods in some districts of the province, life has been negatively affected by downpours and floods especially in the districts of Buca, Karabağlar and Konak.

Red Crescent distributed food to citizens living in the neighborhoods affected by the flood and did a needs assessment in the region.

As houses of some citizens have been flooded, there are also efforts to accommodate these citizens in student dormitories.

One person adrift by flood

After Buca was caught in a sudden downpour, the streets of the district were flooded. Bahtiye Tuna, a 66-year-old citizen, was adrift by the flood at the intersection of Gaziosmanpaşa and Özbekistan streets. Tuna was rescued by the neighborhood guards in the region and taken to the Buca Seyfi Demirsoy Training and Research Hospital by the police.

As reported by Anadolu Agency (AA), Tuna had wounds on her body as she had been dragged, but she has no life threatening condition.

4 vehicles drifted off by the water

In Kozağaç Neighborhood in Buca, four automobiles were drifted off by the flood; they could stop only after colliding with each other.

Some citizens were seen to tie their vehicles to their houses with ropes so that the vehicles would not be drifted off by water.

In Üçkuyular Neighborhood, a courier named Mustafa K. fell from his motorcycle due to the rising water. He was helped by citizens in the vicinity.

Bridge damaged by rising water

In the Lale Neighborhood in Konak district, the bridge over the brook in front of the Kayasuyu Mosque was damaged by the rising water. The bridge was closed to traffic. The basement and ground floors of some houses were also flooded in the same neighborhood.

In Yenişehir town in Konak, some citizens got stranded in a car in the Kemer underpass in front of the İzmir Fire Brigade Department. The citizens were then rescued by the fire brigade teams.

Due to the water on the streets and the cars stranded in the water due to heavy rainfall and ensuing floods, the underpass in front of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Konak Tunnel, Yeşillik Street and Akçay Street remained close to traffic for some time.

Trees toppled down

In the Ulucak underpass in Kemalpaşa, one vehicle got stranded. While the driver of the vehicle could get out by his own means, the underpass was closed to traffic after the driver called the authorities. The teams of İzmir Water and Sewerage Administration made water evacuation efforts.

In the same district, a tree in the garden of a house in the Sekiz Eylül Neighborhood toppled down on vehicles. The vehicles parked in front of the house got damaged. (TP/SD)