UPDATE 3 - Turkish president visits flood-stricken areas of Black Sea region

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, REVISES TITLE, DECK, INTRO; ADDS MORE REMARKS BY PRESIDENT

ANKARA / KASTAMONU, Turkey (AA) – Turkey’s president on Friday visited areas of the country’s Black Sea region hardest hit by floods, which have claimed 31 lives since Wednesday.

During his visit to Bozkurt, Kastamonu, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “The state will do its best as quickly as possible, and hopefully we will rise from the ashes again.”

The president added that after doing field assessment together with Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu, and Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum, they will take necessary steps.

Addressing people in Bozkurt, Erdogan underlined that a total of 4,760 personnel, 19 helicopters, one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), 66 ambulances, 41 rescue teams, 630 service vehicles, 437 construction machines, and a great deal of equipment are operating in the field.

"We have taken all emergency measures (in the flood area), from credit support to tax deferrals," he said.

Erdogan went on to say that 120 teams across three provinces are doing damage assessment, adding that state institutions "are working without a break" in the region affected by the disaster.

"We can’t bring back our people who lost their lives, but our state has the power, potential, and determination to compensate for any loss other than that," he added.

Later in the day, Erdogan announced the declaration of a disaster area for the places affected.

Those places will be able to do tax deferral and postpone Social Security Institution payments for tradesman. Assistance to cover property, vehicle, and workplace losses will also be provided.

While loan repayments of businesses will be postponed, the Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development Organization of Turkey (KOSGEB) will prepare an emergency support plan for disaster-hit areas.

- The floods’ toll

The floods in the northern Black Sea region caused by heavy rains left 29 people dead in the Kastamonu province and two others in the province of Sinop, a Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) statement said.

It noted that one person is still missing in the Bartin province, while 10 people are undergoing medical treatment.

Rescue and relief operations are continuing in the flood-hit areas, the statement added.

It said 112 villages in Kastamonu and 86 villages in Sinop were left without electricity, adding that 20 million Turkish liras ($2.4 million) has been allocated for disaster relief there.

Over 895 workers in Bartin, 2,333 in Kastamonu, and 1,532 in Sinop are carrying out relief work in the affected areas, according to a previous agency statement.

A total of 323 people in Bartin, 925 in Kastamonu, and 472 in Sinop were evacuated to safe areas by helicopters and boats, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter.

He said 220 volunteers, nine catering trucks, and 42 vehicles sent by the Turkish Red Crescent to the region are working on the ground.

Volunteers, NGOs, and humanitarian groups in the region continue their work in coordination with AFAD and other relevant public institutions, Altun said, praising their efforts.