Flood sparks debate on environmental misconduct

With the Black Sea province of Artvin suffering floods after disastrous rain and landslides that killed eight people, experts believe the many hydroelectric power plants being constructed in the area and clogged culverts triggered the deadly phenomenon, Hürriyet Daily News reported.

Disregarding the fragile geology and landslide risk of Turkey’s northern Black Sea region, riverbed directions were changed for hydroelectric power plant constructions, said Mert Güvenç, the head of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers, a sub-organization of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), the article said. „Necessary measures have not been taken. This disaster is manmade,“ Güvenç told Hürriyet. A true natural disaster has been produced by misapplication of environmental impact assessment (ÇED) procedures for the hydroelectric power plants, Güvenç said, referring to the fact that according to Turkish law all construction projects require a ÇED report to start construction.

Eight people were dead, one missing, and 19 injured after floods and landslides occurred after heavy rain in Artvin’s Hopa district on August 24.