Antalya downpour: flash flood sweeps cars in Demre, 20 trapped at school evacuated

Heavy rain in Antalya on Wednesday triggered a flash flood in Demre’s Kaleüçağız neighborhood that swept away cars. About 70% of greenhouses in Çevreli were damaged, and 13 students and seven teachers trapped at a school were evacuated.

A downpour that began on Wednesday morning in the southern Turkish province of Antalya continued throughout the day. In Demre’s Kaleüçağız neighborhood, heavy rain caused a flash flood that swept away several cars. In Kaş, rain that intensified in the afternoon made some roads hard to pass, and water pooled on streets in the city center.

"No one has seen rain like this"

Demre Mayor Fahri Duran said the rain, which began around 4 p.m., hit the neighboring areas of Kaleüçağız, Çevreli, Kapaklı and Yavu. He said about 70% of greenhouses in Çevreli, a farming area, and around 10 homes were damaged, along with houses in Kaleüçağız. "No one has ever seen rain like this. Thank God, we have no loss of life," Duran said. Demre District Governor Emin Bağlı visited the neighborhood to be briefed by the crews.

Students trapped at school rescued

Kaleüçağız in Demre (file photo)

The Antalya Governor’s Office said that, in line with a yellow weather warning, 1,901 personnel, 624 vehicles, 248 pieces of heavy machinery, five boats, 187 motor pumps and 74 submersible pumps were deployed across the province. Thirteen students and seven teachers trapped at a school in Çevreli and two people stranded in a greenhouse were evacuated to safe areas and are in good health, the governor’s office said.

Traffic on the Kaş-Demre highway, disrupted by flooding at the Yavu crossing, resumed in both directions at 8:30 p.m. as the water receded. At Antalya Airport, the runways remained open, but eight aircraft opted to land at other airports.

The governor’s office said the rain was expected to ease from Thursday morning.

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