Minister Institution: Do not leave the house unless necessary

Highlights from the statements of Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change:

In our meeting today, we decided in detail the causes and consequences of the flood disaster, the situation of our citizens and the resulting picture, and the steps we will take. Our city received the longest rainfall in 83 years. 273 kg of precipitation fell per square meter. In Sarıyer, Şile, Başakşehir and Güngören when the flood is intense. 27cm. water fell. The occupancy of the dams was 7 percent. Our police units took all our citizens to safe areas. We host some of our citizens. Thank God, our security units saved 3 thousand 57 citizens.

"LET OUR CITIZENS BE CONSIDERED"

All accommodation requests will be met under the coordination of our Istanbul Governorship. With our 110 vehicles in 39 districts, our fire brigade and municipalities provide assistance to our citizens to meet their needs such as hot soup. There were 48 landslides. 53 retaining walls were destroyed. 9 thousand 755 notices were received. Our units intervened immediately. We quickly assessed the damage. We dealt with the product damage of our farmers. Our units detect quickly. Only in Ayazağa, 300 workplaces and 200 vehicles were damaged.

We aim to assess the damage by the weekend. Our state will provide all kinds of support regarding the damages of our citizens and the damage to the buildings within the framework of the instructions of our President. May our citizens be relieved. Damage assessments of our farmers are carried out quickly. 109 of our animals perished. Our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will be providing aid. Our farmers' needs such as feed and hay regarding the greenhouse tents will also be met.

"OUR TEAMS INTERVENE QUICKLY TO ALL REPORTS"

As a transportation precaution, 6 routes in Eyüpsultan, Sarıyer and Şile were closed to traffic. We took this precaution to avoid any risks related to possible rains. We continue our work to open our roads. There is a power outage for approximately 40 thousand citizens. We are doing this as a precaution here too. There are around 9 thousand flood reports. Our teams respond quickly to all reports. We will intervene quickly with the vehicles we want from within the city or outside the city. We will show the will to repair the damage in all raids by Saturday at the latest.

Search and rescue, AFAD, Police, fire brigade and gendarmerie will be with our nation. We will be dealing with the effects of the disaster in terms of repairing the damages and moving the goods. Heavy rains had their effect in Kocaeli and Sakarya. 140 kg of precipitation per square meter fell in Sakarya. A house collapsed and a bridge collapsed. Stream floods are experienced in Başiskele and Kartepe districts. Our state is on the field here too. Our friends, we will work from house to house, shop to shop, until there is not a single victim citizen left.

"DO NOT LEAVE THE HOME UNLESS NECESSARY"

We will not let our guard down. Meteorology's warnings continue. Tomorrow we have rain on the European side. Warnings continue for 24 provinces. Our Meteorology says that the rains will continue throughout Istanbul on Saturday. We ask our citizens not to leave the house unless necessary. We will try to meet the needs quickly. We have an orange warning in Zonguldak and Düzce tomorrow. We are taking all precautions. We request our citizens to be cautious.

Every disaster and troublesome event we experience in Istanbul reminds us of the bitter truth once again. Climate change is no longer the most important agenda item of the future, but of today. It is very important that our cities are prepared for such disasters. Climate change affects the rainfall regime. We may experience heavy rainfall in very short periods of time. To put it simply, we cannot plan the future with the data of the past. We have to plan our cities not according to past disasters, but by taking into account the more severe weather events we will encounter in the future.

"WE ARE IN THE FIELD WITH ALL OUR UNITS TO PREPARE RISKY BUILDINGS FOR DISASTER"

The positions we hold and the duties we assume impose responsibilities on us. At this point, our state will provide all necessary support to all our municipalities. Making Istanbul a city resistant to all disasters is a very important issue. We have to do this. This should be Istanbul's priority and only agenda. It stands by our citizens of Istanbul with all its means within the framework of the instructions of our President. We are on the field with all our units to prepare risky buildings for disaster. Cleaning of stream beds, regular maintenance of stream improvement works, and re-evaluation of flood risks are a situation that cannot be postponed for our municipalities.

We have to act together according to today's conditions and needs. Istanbul is the apple of our eye. Istanbul's problem is the problem of the Republic of Türkiye. We all have to work together in line with this obligation. I pray that God protects our country and our nation from all kinds of disasters and I greet you all with respect.