Intense summer floods caused by increasingly frequent heavy rains are becoming a major concern as climate change alters weather patterns worldwide. Professor Murat Türkeş, a board member of the Climate Change and Policy Implementation and Research Center at Boğaziçi University, emphasized the urgent need to redesign urban infrastructure globally to address these growing risks.
Recent years have seen a sharp rise in sudden and severe summer floods that cause widespread damage. Türkeş explained that such floods occur when short, powerful downpours drop large amounts of rain or hail on dry ground, causing rapid surface runoff instead of absorption.
The catastrophic flood in Kastamonu’s Bozkurt district on Aug. 11, 2021, illustrates how human settlements must be planned with greater respect for natural landscapes. Türkeş highlighted that factors such as deforestation, the destruction of old riverbeds, and poorly regulated urban development exacerbate the impact of heavy summer rains.
He further explained that rising temperatures increase evaporation, leading to higher atmospheric moisture levels. When warm, humid air collides with cooler air masses, it creates atmospheric instability that triggers thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. These conditions often lead to overflowing rivers, floods, landslides, and waterlogging during the summer months.
While summer floods have traditionally affected monsoon and tropical regions, climate change is causing these events to extend into temperate zones, including various parts of Türkiye. Türkeş identified the northwest, western and eastern Black Sea regions, as well as northeastern, southwestern, and central and southeastern Anatolia, as particularly vulnerable due to their geographic features.
According to Türkeş, rainfall intensities once expected once every 100 or 500 years are now occurring with greater frequency. Even in Europe, where river systems are well-managed, flood defenses and infrastructure struggle to cope with the increasing scale of extreme rainfall, resulting in prolonged urban flooding.
To combat these challenges, Türkeş calls for comprehensive infrastructure reforms worldwide. He stresses the importance of urban drainage systems designed according to local geography, river structures, natural watercourses and population dynamics. Separate systems for stormwater collection and discharge in sewer networks are critical to reduce flood risks.
Additionally, protecting old riverbeds and floodplains within cities and removing settlements built in these flood-prone areas are essential steps to prevent future disasters.
As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, experts agree that adapting infrastructure and urban planning is vital to safeguarding communities and ensuring resilient cities in the face of climate change.
