AI-generated illustration

Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said 60,395 personnel, 1,060 AFAD volunteers and 8,927 vehicles are taking part in operations across the country following heavy and intense rainfall.

Search and rescue, evacuation, food, shelter, cleaning and damage assessment work continues without interruption in the provinces hit by floods and inundation, under AFAD coordination.

Round-the-clock operations in affected provinces

In a statement posted on its social media accounts, AFAD said the state and all its relevant institutions are standing with the public to address the damage caused by the heavy rainfall across the country.

All agencies and teams are carrying out intervention and recovery work under AFAD's coordination to return life to normal in the provinces affected by floods and inundation, including search and rescue, evacuation, food, shelter, cleaning and damage and loss assessment. AFAD volunteers are also supporting the effort.

AFAD calls on public to follow warnings

"A total of 60,395 personnel, 1,060 AFAD volunteers and 8,927 vehicles are on duty in response operations across the country," the statement said, offering condolences to citizens who lost their lives in the adverse weather and wishing those affected well.

AFAD thanked all teams working in the field and urged citizens to keep following meteorological bulletins, heed warnings from the authorities and comply with the measures taken.

Istanbul governor inspects response in Şile

Istanbul Governor Davut Gül visited areas affected by the flooding, called at the Şile District Governor's Office and met the emergency disaster coordination team to receive information about the work under way. Gül told reporters that concerns about Şile had prompted the visit to see the situation on the ground.

Governor Gül noted that disaster risk boards were on duty 24 hours a day and said the response tested the city's institutional capacity, the usefulness of its volunteers when called up, accredited teams on the ground and the work of other units. AFAD President Ali Hamza Pehlivan and Şile District Governor Mustafa Çit accompanied Gül.

Key takeaways

• AFAD reports 60,395 personnel, 1,060 volunteers and 8,927 vehicles deployed across Turkey in the rain response.
• Search and rescue, evacuation, shelter and damage assessment work continues non-stop under AFAD coordination.
• Istanbul Governor Davut Gül visited flood-hit areas and the emergency coordination team in Şile.
• AFAD urged citizens to follow weather bulletins and observe official warnings and measures.