Fri 30 July 2021:
Turkey is combating wildfires that have lately erupted in 71 different locations, with 57 of them being effectively put out so far. senior official on Friday.
Efforts to tame the flames continue with 4,000 personnel, three planes, nine unmanned aerial vehicles, one unmanned helicopter, 38 helicopters, 55 heavy duty vehicles, 680 water tenders, and one water tank, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli told a joint news conference in the Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya.
The forest fires have erupted over the last few days in the southern provinces of Mersin, Osmaniye, Adana, Antalya, Kahramanmaras.
The blazes also burst out in the southwestern province of Mugla and central provinces of Kirikkale and Kayseri.
The county’s efforts to bring 14 ongoing fires under control are continuing as 10,550 personnel, 45 helicopters, one unmanned helicopter, nine UAVs, 1,080 water trucks, 660 heavy-duty vehicles, six planes, and 280 portable water tanks are joining the mission.
Massive forest fires in Antalya province
Turkey’s Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya is one of the areas where fires blaze out. An 82-year-old man, who was left alone at home, died while evacuation efforts were underway in the Kepezbeleni village of Akseki district.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said on Thursday that there are 10 people stranded in the Oymapinar Dam in the province while some neighborhoods were evacuated.
“Ambulances and AFAD (the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) teams are on the way for our citizens in Oymapinar Dam. The road is open, they will try to evacuate them,” he said, adding that they do not face a life-threatening situation.
Later, Manavgat District Governor Mustafa Yigit said 10 people stranded in the dam were rescued.
Forest fires first erupted on Wednesday in Antalya’s Manavgat district and spread over a large area.
“Three of our citizens lost their lives and 122 others were affected from fires while treatment of 58 citizens continues,” AFAD said on Manavgat fires.
With the latest announcement, the number of people who died during fires in Antalya has risen to four.
Efforts to contain 14 forest fires continue in Turkey, says Erdogan
Efforts in Turkey continue to contain 14 forest fires that have broken out since Wednesday, while 57 have been brought under control, the country’s president said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters in Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a total of 45 helicopters were being used in the effort against the remaining forest fires.
“As of today, the number of planes has increased to five-six with the planes from Russia and Ukraine,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan was also sending an amphibious plane.
“The battle against forest fires is still ongoing at 1,140 points,” he said, adding that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were monitoring the situation in the region around the clock.
Firefighters battling blazes in Adana, Mersin provinces
Along with Antalya, Adana, and Mersin, firefighters are working selflessly to bring fires under control in other provinces.
In Mersin, people living in areas near fires were evacuated on Wednesday.
Firefighters are battling fires in the two districts of the province.
They are also working in the Kozan district of Adana province where a fire broke out in a forested land in the Kizlarsekisi area.
Authorities said that the powerful wind fanned fires to rage through the region and it hampers efforts to put out the blazes.
Damage assessments works
Efforts to extinguish the flames continue in the region along with damage assessments, Cavusoglu told reporters.
“As of tomorrow, we’ll start partial payments to our citizens whose damage has been determined,” said the foreign minister.
“Three of our citizens died in Antalya and one in Mugla, we wish upon them Allah’s mercy,” Cavusoglu added.
He underlined that the transfer of a total of 23.5 million Turkish liras (around $2.8 million) had begun from various institutions and ministries for emergency needs for the fires in Manavgat district in Antalya.
Cavusoglu highlighted that the teams found 42 neighborhoods had been affected in the flames, and that 27 neighborhoods had been evacuated, while 15 were also partially affected in the Manavgat fires.
He also said that a coordination center was established within the provincial governor’s office for the needs of people in all these neighborhoods.
