UPDATE - Death toll from floods in Turkey's Black Sea region rises to 70

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) - The death toll from floods in Turkey's Black Sea region has risen to 70, authorities said on Monday.

Floods caused by heavy rain hit the Black Sea region in the north of the country on Wednesday, leaving 60 people dead in the province of Kastamonu, a Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) statement said.

Nine others died in the Sinop province along with one more person in Bartin province. The treatment of eight people continues in hospitals, it said.

A total of 341 people in Bartin, 1,480 in Kastamonu, and 560 in Sinop were evacuated to safe areas, added the disaster management agency added.

AFAD also announced 47 people have been reported missing in Sinop and Kastamonu.

Rescue and relief efforts continue in the flood-hit areas with 8,092 personnel, 1,063 vehicles, 21 helicopters, 81 ambulances, it added.

On Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Bozkurt district in Kastamonu, the worst-hit flood area. Erdogan announced that the places affected had been declared disaster zones.