Drought-hit cities now battle overflowing dams
Dams across several provinces in Türkiye initiated controlled water discharges this week, as reservoirs, which just months ago faced severe drought and an impending water crisis, reached peak capacity due to sudden and torrential precipitation.
Türkiye has just left behind an extraordinarily cool and record-breaking wet May. Regions such as Central Anatolia and the Black Sea shattered 103-year-old rainfall records.
Cities traditionally known for arid climates broke decades-long precipitation records, remarkably, the total spring rainfall typically distributed over months in İzmir and Antalya fell within a single week this May.
This unprecedented downpour drove reservoirs in multiple provinces to maximum capacity, necessitating controlled water evacuations to mitigate spillover and flood risks.
