Death toll from ravaging floods in Türkiye's southeast hits 15
Group of people and search teams are seen in streets of Şanlıurfa amid flood, southeastern Türkiye, March 15, 2023. (IHA Photo)


The death toll from flash floods, that wreaked havoc in Türkiye's earthquake-torn provinces of Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman, has risen to 15 as one more person who was reported missing was found dead Thursday morning in Şanlıurfa.

Search and rescue teams found the body of another person during work carried out at Abide Köprülü Junction. Thus, the flood-related fatality count in the city rose to 13.

Heavy downpours paralyzed normal life in the region since Tuesday, leaving streets and hospitals inundated while the highway between Şanlıurfa's Hilvan and Bozova districts reportedly crumbled.

The flood, which came some 40 days after disastrous Feb. 6 earthquakes that leveled hundreds of thousands of buildings and left over 48,000 people dead, brought another natural disaster to the region which officials in Şanlıurfa are referring to as the worst flood in the last 65 years.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, who updated on the situation in the two provinces late on Wednesday, noted that some 60 people in Şanlıurfa and eight in Adıyaman were directly affected by floods adding that their overall health condition was stable.

Meanwhile, authorities and groups dispatched to the region are said to be working on retrieving a car deluged in an underpass.