Storm in Van leaves many houses with no roof, destroys tents

A storm has raged over the north Kurdish province of Van for three days causing heavy damages.

A storm has raged over the north Kurdistan province of Van for three days with winds reaching the 35 km per hour. 

Özalp, Saray, Başkale and Çaldıran have been particularly affected by the storm and suffered long power cuts.

Some houses in Bostaniçi, Serhat, Selehaddin Eyyübi and Hacıbekir neighborhoods have been heavily damaged while the roof of a minibus stop was flown away. 

In Çaldıran, the tents where the victims of the 22 February earthquake are living were destroyed. In addition, some 200 houses had their roof blown away in Çaldıran where 25 houses were badly damaged. Numerous precarious stables for animals collapsed. A number animals were killed when a stable collapsed in Özalp.

However, the full extent of the damages casued by the storm has yet to be fully recorded. Dismissed mayor of Saray Municipality, Şahabettin Bilmez said that damages occurred in many areas and that he has been talking to the villagers about it. Bilmez stated that the authorities and the trustee were quite insensitive and that the villagers were acting in solidarity among themselves with their own means.

 

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