Heavy Rains and Floods in Turkey: What’s the Situation in the Country’s Streets

Heavy rains have fallen in the Turkish cities of Marmaris and Izmir, causing roads to flood, trees to be uprooted, and vehicles and homes to be damaged. This is reported by RIA Novosti.

According to meteorologists, 53 mm of rain fell in Izmir in a single night, whereas the January norm is 137 mm. In several regions of the province, precipitation reached up to 97 mm at once.

The color of the sea water in Marmaris and Izmir has turned brown after landslides occurred in several areas.

In Marmaris, wave heights from storms have reached several meters, uprooting trees and damaging vehicles and homes.

In Izmir, the first floors of homes were flooded due to heavy rain. There are traffic jams throughout the city, and in one street, two vehicles fell into a hole due to a landslide, one of which belonged to the police. The historic Covered Market in the city has also been flooded.

Meanwhile, drought continues in Istanbul, with precipitation limited to sporadic rains. Water levels in Istanbul's reservoirs are at alarming lows.

December 2022 was the hottest December in Turkey in the last 52 years. January may also become the hottest month in the last 52 years according to local meteorologists.