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5 killed, 4 missing, as flooding hits Turkey

June 22, 2020 at 3:44 pm

Damaged buildings and vehicles are seen while the damage assessment and cleaning operations continue at Dudakli neighbourhood in Kestel district of Bursa, Turkey on June 22, 2020. At this neighbourhood with 130 residences, where approximately 550 people live, many houses were damaged by flood, nearly 50 tractors and cars were flooded [Sergen Sezgin – Anadolu Agency]

Five people have died after heavy rains caused floods in Bursa, northwestern Turkey, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said today.

Yakup Canbolat, the governor of Bursa province, said four people are also missing, CNN Turk reported.

“Intensive search and rescue operations are being carried out in flood-hit areas by 257 personnel, including 134 gendarmeries,” he said.

Reportedly, rescue workers found the body of a woman and recovered the bodies of the people washed away by the flood.

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Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu arrived in Bursa under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s instructions to inspect the area.

Soylu said the incident is far beyond seasonal norms.

“For now, the only thing the rescue team can do is locate the four people,” he added.

Last week, an earthquake with a 5.7 magnitude shook Bingol province in eastern Turkey, killing one and injuring 18 people and causing the collapse of a military observation tower.