Data provided by the International Emergency Disasters Database (EM-DAT) also states that 32 major floods took place in Turkey between 1903 and 2003, claiming lives of 1,272 people. However, experts say this number rises to 2,000 when those missing in the floods are added to the total. Approximately 100,000 people were also displaced because of these disasters. Speaking to Today's Zaman, DSİ officials stated that 39 people died in floods in 2007 and 43 died in 2008. As for 2009, more than 30 people have died due to floods, not including those killed in the recent flash floods which have hit İstanbul and Tekirdağ.
According to reports by the General Directorate of Disaster Affairs, a total of approximately 50 million hectares of agricultural land and populated areas were flooded in the past, which has led to $165 million in damages each year. The cost of the damage caused by floods in last 20 years amounts to $2 billion.
The leading causes of floods are climate change and environmental damage. Insufficient flora in dry areas and steep slopes increase the speed of flash floods. Erosion and unplanned urbanization are also among the leading factors of flooding. Insufficient rain water drainage systems in some cities and the improper usage of the land during periods of urban planning in particular play majors role in floods. İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, the western province of Bursa and the southern provinces of Adana, Gaziantep, Hatay, Mersin and Antalya are the areas where floods occur most frequently.
DSİ says 1,316 died in 1,452 floods in last 53 years
According to data provided by the DSİ, which is affiliated with Ministry of Environment and Forestry, 1,452 floods have hit Turkey in the past 53 years, killing 1,316 people. It also reports that more than 60,000 houses were damaged in these floods.
The DSİ's figures regarding the cost of the floods also differ from others. According to the DSİ, the annual cost of the damage caused by floods exceeds $100 million. Drawing attention to Turkey's deficiencies in terms of taking preventive measures against floods, the DSİ's reports reveal that Turkey spends $30 million each year for infrastructure measures to prevent flooding. The DSİ data shows that more than 80 floods occur in Turkey on average annually; however, since most of them do not result in fatalities, they do not attract the necessary attention. The DSİ, which has been implementing a program to prevent flash floods since 1970, says the number of annual flash floods have decreased significantly. DSİ officials note that annually 35 to 40 people are killed in floods in Turkey on average. The most destructive floods to hit Turkey occurred in 1995, killing a total of 160 people in the provinces of İzmir, Isparta and Düzce.
