Floods, hail and landslides strike multiple provinces as some regions see rainfall four times above normal
Turkey recorded 66 severe weather-related natural disasters across the country in August, according to the Meteorology General Directorate’s monthly agricultural meteorology bulletin, published by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change.
Heavy rain and flooding accounted for the largest share of incidents, with 28 events recorded, making up around 42% of the month’s total. Hailstorms accounted for a further 14 events, followed by 10 lightning strikes, eight landslides, five storms and one tornado.
The heavy rainfall triggered flooding and water damage in several provinces during August. In Giresun, downpours led to numerous reports of flooding and water damage, disrupting traffic on some roads. In Hekimhan district of Malatya province, homes and storage buildings were flooded, while parts of Adana saw significant pooling of water on streets and roads.
Toward the end of the month, heavy rain and hail hit Ardahan, Kars and Erzincan, causing flooding and damage to agricultural land in some areas.
Nationally, average rainfall across Turkey in August stood at 16.2 kilograms per square metre, 10% above the seasonal norm and more than double the total recorded in the same month last year. Rainfall was particularly intense in and around Karaman, Mersin, Hatay, Kayseri, Adana, Malatya, Sivas, Erzincan, Tunceli, Elazığ, Adıyaman and Bingöl, where totals in places exceeded four times the normal level for August.
