2020 Van avalanches
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  Bahçesaray district | |
| Date | 4-5 February |
|---|---|
| Location | Bahçesaray, Van, Turkey |
| Coordinates | 38°7′43″N 42°48′27″E / 38.12861°N 42.80750°E |
| Cause | Heavy snowfall |
| Deaths | Feb. 4: 5 Feb. 5: 36 Total: 41 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 84 |
The 2020 Van avalanches were a pair of avalanches that occurred on 4-5 February in Turkey's eastern Van Province.
Avalanches
On the evening of February 4, 2020, an avalanche took place in a mountain pass in the Bahçesaray district, leaving a snow-clearing vehicle and a minibus buried. Five people were killed and two others were missing, while seven passengers and the vehicle's operator managed to escape.[1][2] In response, a major rescue operation involving around 300 personnel was launched by Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD). While the team was on-site, a second avalanche struck around noon on February 5, overturning vehicles and leaving at least 33 people dead.[3]
The Governor of Van Province Mehmet Emin Bilmez said that the dead included eight military police officers, three government-paid village guards, three firefighters and nine volunteers. Officials later announced that 53 people were injured in total, and an unknown number remain buried under the snow. Heavy snow, fog and strong winds were slowing down the rescue efforts.[1] By February 6 the death toll had increased to at least 41 in total, with another 84 people injured.[4][5]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Avalanche in Turkey wipes out rescue team; 41 dead overall". Associated Press. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ "Van'da çığ altındakileri arayan ekiplerin üzerine çığ düştü" (in Turkish). Anadolu Agency. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ "Avalanche in Turkey kills rescuers who were searching for survivors of previous avalanche". CNN. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ "Van'da meydana gelen iki çığ felaketinde 41 kişi hayatını kaybetti". Habertürk (in Turkish). 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ Death toll in Turkey avalanche disaster rises to 41 AP, 6 Feb 2020