Latest news with #Toraman
Business Recorder
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Business Recorder
250 flee as Turkish rescuers battle wildfire in Gallipoli
ISTANBUL: More than 250 people were evacuated overnight as a wildfire raged on the Gallipoli peninsula flanking the Dardanelles Strait, where Turkish firefighters were battling Sunday to quench the blaze, officials said. The fire began on Saturday in the northwestern province of Canakkale, and spread quickly due to high winds in the hills near the town of Gelibolu, on the shores of the busy shipping strait. 'As a precaution, 251 residents from five villages were relocated to safe areas,' Canakkale governor Omer Toraman wrote on X. Footage showed the hillsides illuminated by bright flames while huge clouds of smoke poured into the night air. Toraman said the province, a popular destination for tourists visiting the ancient ruins of Troy, as well as the Gallipoli battleground where thousands of soldiers died in World War I, had suffered 'extremely severe drought' over the past year.
The Sun
13 hours ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Hundreds evacuated as wildfire rages on Turkey's Gallipoli peninsula
ISTANBUL: Hundreds of residents have fled their homes as firefighters battle a fierce wildfire sweeping through Turkey's historic Gallipoli peninsula. The blaze began on Saturday in Canakkale province, rapidly spreading through dry hills near Gelibolu town along the strategic Dardanelles Strait. Canakkale governor Omer Toraman confirmed 250 people were evacuated from five villages overnight, with two more communities cleared on Sunday. 'So far, the fire has not spread to the evacuated areas,' Toraman stated on social media platform X, adding that nearby war cemeteries remained unharmed. The drought-stricken region, home to ancient Troy and World War I battlefields, has endured 'extremely severe drought' conditions over the past year. Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli reported 1,300 personnel were combating the flames using 12 planes, 18 helicopters and 343 ground vehicles. Although seasonal winds initially hampered firefighting efforts, calmer conditions on Sunday allowed crews to make 'progressing more positive' headway. Authorities have closed access to historical sites near Eceabat town as a precaution while the wildfire continues to burn. This incident follows another major blaze earlier in the week that forced over 2,000 people to flee the southern Dardanelles area. European monitoring data shows Turkey has suffered 192 wildfires this year, scorching more than 110,373 hectares of land. Climate experts warn that human-induced climate change is intensifying both the frequency and severity of such natural disasters across the region. – AFP
Observer
19 hours ago
- Climate
- Observer
250 flee as Turkish rescuers battle wildfire in Gallipoli
Istanbul: More than 250 people were evacuated overnight as a wildfire raged on the Gallipoli peninsula flanking the Dardanelles Strait, where Turkish firefighters were battling Sunday to quench the blaze, officials said. The fire began on Saturday in the northwestern province of Canakkale, and spread quickly due to high winds in the hills near the town of Gelibolu, on the shores of the busy shipping strait. "As a precaution, 251 residents from five villages were relocated to safe areas," Canakkale governor Omer Toraman wrote on X. Footage showed the hillsides illuminated by bright flames while huge clouds of smoke poured into the night air. Toraman said the province, a popular destination for tourists visiting the ancient ruins of Troy, as well as the Gallipoli battleground where thousands of soldiers died in World War I, had suffered "extremely severe drought" over the past year. While the weather has been fairly normal for the time of year, much of northwestern Turkey has suffered strong winds in recent days, although they eased off on Sunday. Firefighters worked through the night, with 12 planes and 18 helicopters rejoining the efforts at first light in an operation involving 900 people, the forestry directorate said on X. The authority in charge of the war memorials said on X that access to historical sites near the town of Eceabat had been closed "due to the ongoing forest fire". On Monday, another fire on the other side of the strait forced 2,000 people to flee, with around 80 treated for smoke inhalation. Several days earlier, another fire forced the evacuation of 120 people and the suspension of shipping through the Dardanelles Strait, which links the Mediterranean with the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) website, there have been 192 wildfires in Turkey this year, which have ravaged more than 110,373 hectares (273,000 acres) of land. Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and more intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkey to take measures to tackle the problem.
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Truck engulfed in massive flames drives for 8 km in Turkey, driver escapes unhurt: Video
A truck drove more than eight kilometres on a highway in Turkey's Samsun while being fully engulfed in flames, leaving motorists in disbelief. A video of the jaw-dropping incident went viral on social media, showing the full extent of the damage.(X) A video of the jaw-dropping incident went viral on social media, showing the full extent of the damage. According to a report by Russia Today, the truck was carrying chemical cargo when it caught fire. As if that was not enough, the vehicle's brakes also failed, leaving no choice for the driver but to move on the highway. The driver survived the incident after managing to stop the truck by slamming into a barrier on the road. The truck was charred from the fire, and its components were scattered all over the asphalt on the highway. Some more footage of the incident, which was viral on social media, showed onlookers watching the truck drive past them in absolute horror. Wildfire in Turkey Officials said more than 250 people were evacuated overnight as a wildfire raged on Turkey's Gallipoli peninsula flanking the Dardanelles Strait. Turkish firefighters were battling Sunday to quench the blaze. The fire began on Saturday in the northwestern province of Canakkale, and spread quickly due to high winds in the hills near the town of Gelibolu, on the shores of the busy shipping strait. "As a precaution, 251 residents from five villages were relocated to safe areas," Canakkale governor Omer Toraman wrote on X. Footage showed the hillsides illuminated by bright flames while huge clouds of smoke poured into the night air. Toraman said the province, a popular destination for tourists visiting the ancient ruins of Troy, as well as the Gallipoli battleground where thousands of soldiers died in World War I, had suffered "extremely severe drought" over the past year. While the weather has been fairly normal for the time of year, much of northwestern Turkey has suffered strong winds in recent days, although they eased off on Sunday. Firefighters worked through the night, with 12 planes and 18 helicopters rejoining the efforts at first light in an operation involving 900 people, the forestry directorate said on X.
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First Post
a day ago
- Climate
- First Post
Over 250 evacuated as massive forest fire engulfs Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey
The fire, fuelled by strong winds and severe drought in Canakkale province, also threatened historic sites near the Dardanelles Strait, including WWI battlegrounds and the ancient ruins of Troy. Firefighters deployed 12 planes, 18 helicopters, and 900 personnel to battle the flames, as thousands more fled from nearby areas in subsequent blazes On the Gallipoli peninsula, which borders the Dardanelles Strait, a wildfire blazed overnight, forcing more than 250 residents to evacuate. Turkish firemen were fighting to put out the fire on Sunday, according to officials. The fire broke out on Saturday in the northwestern province of Canakkale and spread swiftly due to strong winds in the hills near the town of Gelibolu, on the beaches of the important maritime strait. 'As a precaution, 251 residents from five villages were relocated to safe areas,' Canakkale governor Omer Toraman wrote on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The footage showed massive clouds of smoke pouring into the night air as the hillsides were lit by dazzling flames. Toraman stated that the region, which is a popular vacation spot for tourists visiting the ancient remains of Troy and the Gallipoli battleground where thousands of troops perished in World War I, has experienced a 'extremely severe drought' over the previous year. While the weather has been generally average for this time of year, much of north-western Turkey was hit by severe winds in recent days, which eased off on Sunday. Firefighters worked through the night, with 12 planes and 18 helicopters returning to the scene before dawn in a 900-person operation, the forestry directorate posted on X. The authority in charge of the war memorials said on X that access to historical sites near the town of Eceabat had been closed 'due to the ongoing forest fire'. On Monday, another fire on the other side of the strait forced 2,000 people to flee, with around 80 treated for smoke inhalation. Several days earlier, another fire forced the evacuation of 120 people and the suspension of shipping through the Dardanelles Strait, which links the Mediterranean with the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) website, there have been 192 wildfires in Turkey this year, which have ravaged more than 110,373 hectares (273,000 acres) of land. Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and more intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkey to take measures to tackle the problem.
