It has been raining in Türkiye’s southern Antalya since Tuesday night and the storm, with a wind speed exceeding 120 kph (75 mph), has paralyzed city life.
The storm in Antalya has dumped 173 kilograms (381.40 pounds) of rainfall per square meter in the province in the hardest-hit areas.
From the precipitation of 173 kilograms per square meter in Kumluca to the 122 kph wind speed in Kemer, the devastation caused because of the stormy weather were seen across the province.
Given the weather situation, 11 provinces under the 4th Regional Directorate of Meteorology were issued an "orange" code as heavy downpours have adversely affected the city centers and water swamped the ground floors in some houses.
Antalya's Konyaaltı district experienced the most precipitation. Vehicles were stuck on roads for hours because of huge rain puddles. Many of them were later rescued with a tow truck.
In the Lara Kundu region, the windows of many workplaces were broken because of the storm, while the vehicles stuck due to rainstorms clogged the city traffic for hours. Meanwhile, in some parts of the district, trees were knocked down and huge pieces of rock obstructed the roads.
Taking notice of the situation, Kemer Municipality removed boulders that fell from the mountain and reopened the road for traffic.
Kemer's Deputy Mayor Recep Yılmaz assured that as a municipality, they have taken all the precautions, urging citizens to contact the municipality in need of help.
Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Transportation Inc. announced that there might be disruptions in the railway system because of heavy rainfall in the city center. On the other hand, the energy transmission lines near the Sağirin neighborhood in Manavgat – which is another city in Antalya province – were disrupted leading to an electrical failure in the region. However, the restoration work is underway.
Although the General Directorate of Meteorology issued warnings earlier in the day, the torrential rain created havoc, especially in Antalya's Aksu where tomato and strawberry greenhouses were damaged because of the rains. Meanwhile, the nylon coverings on the greenhouses producing organic tomatoes and strawberries were torn apart in the Kundu district as well.
The Derebogaz Bridge in Aksu's Mortuna district overflowed due to heavy torrential rains. Commenting on the situation, Aksu Producers Union President Turan Şahın noted: "We have seen such a devastating for the first time in many years."
"Tractors are pulling our citizens out of water. I am 48 years old and this is the first time I am witnessing such a devastating situation. I have never seen such catastrophic rain in my life,” he lamented.
