MOSCOW, October 11 (Itar-Tass) — The heavy rains in Antalya do not pose a threat to the health of Russian tourists and their holidaymaking, spokesman for the Russian Federal Tourism Agency (Rosturizm) Oleg Moseyev told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.
“Rosturizm is monitoring the situation with Russian tourists in Antalya in connection with heavy torrential rains,” he noted. “The downpours have mainly affected the rural areas, and the situation in the resort zones is stable,” Moseyev added, specifying that “there are only light rains there that do not pose a threat to Russians’ health.”
The Turkish media earlier published information that the airport of Antalya resumed its work and tourists who have been unable to take flights home have at last got this opportunity.
Four people have been killed and six went missing in Turkish resort zones in an emergency caused by torrential rains. In Antalya, powerful mudslides that came down from the mountain areas of the resort destroyed three bridges and 25 houses. Dozens of local residents needed help of rescuers for evacuation from the flooded areas.
A 13-metre yacht was thrown ashore by squally winds in the coastal Bodrum. In more than 100 homes the ground floors and basements were flooded.
The wind and rains made life difficult also in the north-western region of Turkey.
Meteorologists reported that a record high precipitation for the past 37 years - up to 300 kg per square metre was registered in Antalya on Monday. A powerful cyclone is mainly active in the western part of Turkey. The authorities of seven provinces of the country warned the local population about the need to be prepared for flooding and mudslides.