'Government has failed to take measures, now it boasts about removing debris'

Photo: AA

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The Bozkurt district of Kastamonu was the worst-hit area from the floods in the Western Black Sea region on August 11.

The removal of debris and search and rescue efforts still continue in the district. Seventy-one people lost their lives in Kastamonu and there are still missing ones, according to the authorities.

We have spoken with the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) provincial chair in Kastamonu, Hikmet Erbilgin, about the latest situation in Bozkurt.

"The search for 17 people, with 16 in Bozkurt district and one in İnebolu, continues. Nine districts have been declared disaster zones but the place with the most losses of life and the biggest destruction is Bozkurt," he said.

What caused the deaths

There was more than one reason for the high number of deaths in Bozkurt, Erbilgin said. "Logs, the hydroelectric power plant, zoning stream beds for construction..."

According to reports, opening the gates of the dam during heavy rainfall caused the Ezine Stream to flood, which was exacerbated by logs blocking the flow of the stream.

The government has also been criticized for poor urban planning as many buildings by the river were damaged with some entirely collapsed.

In one of the collapsed buildings, the Ölçer Apartments, people had waited to be rescued for six hours, said Erbilgin. The contractor of the building has been arrested while no action has been taken against the authorities who permitted its construction.

"The state and the ministers are trying to boast about removing debris. The duty of the state is not to boast about removing debris but to take measures to minimize disasters," he remarked.

As some damaged buildings are being demolished by the authorities, house rents have increased in the region, he noted. "The state should take measures immediately. Most of the citizens go to Kastamonu or İstanbul if they have relatives or friends there.

There was also a lack of coordination in the first three days of the disaster, Erbilgin stressed. "The ministry or the governor's office could not give instructions. That was something caused by the fear of the strongman."

Students' needs should be met ahead of the school year as their families suffered financial losses due to the floods, he added. "These are the essential duties of the state. But there is an attitude that puts the responsibility on the public by giving IBANs." (NÇ/DŞ/VK)