Storm in the Aegean Claims Two Lives in İzmir, Six Lives in Greece

* Photographs: Mehmet Yavaş/AA - Burak Gezen/DHA

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Rainfall and storm have claimed the lives of two people in Turkey's Aegean city of İzmir and six people near Thessaloniki in Greece.

In the district of Kınık in İzmir, 47-year-old Bayram Türkmen and his 14-year-old daughter Tülin Türkmen have lost their lives after they were struck by lightning at around 2 a.m. today (July 11).

They were both tobacco farmers

* Photograph: İSİG Assembly / Twitter

Tülin Türkmen and her father Bayram Türkmen were both tobacco farmers. They were struck by lightning while they were trying to cover the tobacco that they previously left in the field for drying.

Their relatives called an ambulance. But, the ambulance that was referred to the area got stuck in the mud. When the ambulance was called, the father and daughter were in serious condition. The ambulance could finally be taken out of the mud, but it was understood that Tülin Türkmen and Bayram Türkmen lost their lives in the meanwhile.

Heavy rainfall and storm became effective not only in İzmir, but also in the neighboring provinces of Çanakkale and Balıkesir. The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) teams have started assessing the amount of damage caused by the storm and rainfall.

Six people died in storm in Greece

On the other coast of the Aegean, six people have lost their lives in a storm that erupted in northern Greece, near Thessaloniki. 108 people have also been wounded in the storm, four of the wounded are reportedly in a serious condition. The deceased are tourists from Czechia, Romania and Russia.

* Photgraph: Gurbet Gökçe / DHA

The heavy rainfall and storm that hit Halkidiki near Thessaloniki lasted for 20 minutes and caused serious damage. A state of emergency has been declared in the region and several fire brigade and civil defense teams have been referred to the region. (AÖ/SD)

* Sources: AA/DHA