5 dead due to floods in quake-hit Turkish provinces

Ankara, March 16 (IANS) At least five people were killed, and five others went missing in floods that hit Turkey’s southern provinces, as the region is still struggling to recover from the effects of massive February 6 earthquakes.

At least four people were killed and two firefighters were missing in Sanliurfa province, Xinhua news agency quoted Governor Salih Ayhan as saying in a statement on Wednesday.

In Adiyaman province, a container that served as a temporary home for a family of four was swept away by the floods.

“Unfortunately, we found the body of one of the four people. The search for three others continues,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters.

The two provinces were among the 11 that were badly hit by the earthquakes that killed more than 55,700 people in Turkey and neighbouring Syria.

Tens of thousands of people are currently taking shelter in tents and containers.

–IANS

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