UPDATE 4 - Floods in Turkey’s Black Sea region have claimed 9 lives: Officials

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, ADDS DETAILS

By Seda Sevencan and Beyza Binnur Donmez

ISTANBUL (AA) – This week’s floods in Turkey’s Black Sea region have claimed at least nine lives, and at least one person is missing, officials said Thursday.

Floods due to heavy rains hit the northern Black Sea region on Wednesday, leaving nine people dead in the Kastamonu province and one missing in the Bartin province, said the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

Rescue and relief teams have been deployed to flood-hit areas, and the search for the missing is ongoing, according to officials.

While evacuations of some areas continue, the Turkish Red Crescent is also on the scene to help people affected by the floods.

So far 323 people in Bartin, 285 in Kastamonu and 302 in Sinop province have been evacuated.

Several bridges in these cities have been damaged or have collapsed due to the floods and 274 villages have been left without electricity.

Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday spoke with local officials of flood-hit areas over phone and ensured that Turkey is using all available means to help people recover after the floods.