ANKARA, 24 Aug

Flooding caused by heavy rains has killed six people along Turkey’s Black Sea coast and left 11 others missing, including some rescue workers, officials said Sunday.

Television footage showed vehicles and debris being swept away by floods on the main road of the mountain town of Dereli, which lies 20 km inland from the Black Sea in Giresun province. 

Bridges, roads and buildings were washed away by what Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said was more than 5 inches of rain in less than a day.

Two of the dead were police officers whose vehicle was swept away by the floods. 

Three of their colleagues and the operator of a mechanical digger are among the missing. 

Their vehicles fell into a ravine when a main road collapsed as they traveled to the disaster area.

Meteorologists forecast more heavy storms ahead for Giresun and the neighboring provinces of Trabzon, Rize and Artvin.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking at an event in Istanbul, vowed to help those affected by the floods.

 “As a state, we will quickly overcome the destruction and devastation here with God’s will,” Erdogan said.

Xinhua