Heavy rain that hit Türkiye's northern region on Monday and Tuesday has triggered landslides, particularly in the province of Ordu, where 94 mudslides were recorded across four districts.
Although there was no loss of lives or injuries reported, the damage to the roads and agricultural land was evident and being investigated.
The downpour, which was effective in the Ikizce, Çaybaşı, Akkuş and Ünye districts of Ordu, affected residents' daily lives. The strong rain, which started on Monday and continued until the evening hours on Tuesday, caused the overflow of streams and consequently landslides.
After the downpours, teams affiliated with Ordu Metropolitan Municipality and district municipalities initiated cleaning work in the landslide areas. Blocked roads reopened to traffic through the efforts of 148 personnel and 74 construction machines.
Speaking to Demirören News Agency (DHA), Ordu Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mehmet Hilmi Güler recalled that the Black Sea region is prone to landslides, stating that some of the settlements in the districts were built purely on the basis of "having beautiful views" without taking into consideration the geological and geophysical aspects.
"Now we are building new settlements here for a permanent solution," he said.
Stressing that efforts were underway to prevent more damage, the mayor noted that property damage was reported.
"We prevented problems from occurring in places such as Ikizce, Ünye and Akkuş. At the same time, we managed to overcome previous issues with technically successful steps that allowed the water to reach the sea," he said.
Reiterating that Ordu is recognized as a "landslide zone," Güler noted that though flood-related issues are addressed on a regular basis, the landslides are completely related to the ground structure and soil.
Adding that the studies regarding the construction of the new settlements and buildings in line with measures against possible earthquakes are underway, he said that new places are chosen for their ability to withstand landslides and earthquakes.
"The old settlements will remain within the memories, but at the same time, we are building new districts. This is part of our future work," Güler concluded.
Heavy rainfall in several Turkish provinces on the Black Sea coast last weekend left at least three people dead, causing difficulties in daily life and a temporary closure of schools in some districts in Kastamonu, Samsun and Sinop.
