The death toll from floods in the Black Sea province of Giresun rose to 5 on Aug. 23, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.
According to Erdoğan, the efforts to find those missing are ongoing and 150 people were rescued so far.
Earlier, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said that a gendarmerie officer was among those killed.
Soylu, who arrived at the scene, said five gendarmerie officers and an excavator operator went missing after a 5-meter high culvert collapsed due to floods in the region.
Speaking alongside Soylu, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said rainfall in Giresun had exceeded averages for the month of August by 1.5 times.
“This is the first time I’m seeing such an overflow and such a flood,” Pakdemirli said.
“We will take all necessary measures to ensure this does not happen again.”
Referring to information received from the state meteorology authority, Soylu said rains, which started Aug. 22, reached 137 kilograms of density and affected districts.
He warned that 50 to 100 kilograms of rainfall is expected in the Çanakçı, Görele and Doğankent districts on Aug. 23.
Earlier, Giresun’s Governor Enver Ünlü told Anadolu Agency about a number of stranded people who have not been identified and several people have been rescued by teams.
He said efforts to get to those who are stranded would begin at first light in the morning and crews are working on opening access to roads and vehicles and heavy equipment are waiting for waters to recede before they enter.
Flood waters caused vehicles in Dereli to drift and buildings were also destroyed in the area, while security forces are trying to confirm reports about missing persons, he said.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that rescue teams were dispatched to Giresun during the initial minutes of the natural disaster.