Author Topic: A personal report from a person caught in the flood at Saklikent  (Read 2290 times)

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Offline Jacqui Harvey

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This was on T.A. today and I thought it worth copying to let members read this lady's experience was was terrifying.
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I was in the flash the flood and it was horrendous - many people were able to jump onto rock but it just depended where you were in the canyon at the time. I was walking up, taking lots of gorgeous photos it is a spectacular place. I heard a roar and thought oh great i must be getting near the waterfall which was to be my end point but is got louder very quickly then a great wave of grey rapids came towards me, it was about a metre high. I had no where safe to go and knew it was going to be really bad. There was only one other person visible in the part of the canyon I was in. He was behind me. I turned around then just grabbed onto the wall. The force of the water ripped me from the wall within seconds, I floated down and the other guy pulled me out of the water but he was not in a great place either. We hang onto the rock face together and I said "what shall we do?" he said " just hang on very tight" we both knew it was futile, those seconds were very long knowing any minute we would be washed into a very fast flowing grey rapid down a winding canyon full of boulders, pools and small waterfalls which were likely to be a lot bigger. I've spent a fair bit of time in the bush in NZ and am not naive of the force of water. So we got swept away and it wasn't long before the force of the water separated us. It all happened so fast. I was submerged for what seemed very long periods, I think I only came up for air twice. I knew about the mammalian dive reflex and had had a conversation with a paramedic only the day before about revival from drowning and the mammalian dive reflex so when I was tumbling underwater knowing i couldn't push myself up for air, that it was up to the river to push me up, I was hoping that the reflex would kick in and I would have to breathe for a minute or two…. then I hit my head on a boulder and though "oh , that's it , it's over now" however I did not lose consciousness so felt encouraged but calm and still not needing to breathe. I then remember being sucked very deep it seemed and spat out of a whirlpool only to see a woman on the other side being hauled out of the river, just as she made it onto the rock and i was feeling like I cannot possibly sustain going under the water again, a man pulled me out of the water onto a rock high above the rapids. I didn't even have the strength to use my legs to push me up (I am only little and have strong legs so it surprised me) but I was gasping when I got up there. Spitting grey mud and gagging as it dripped down the back of my throat I waited while the waters receded. There were about 8 of us on the Rock. Mostly turkish, but 2 belgians and 1 russian. Most of the others had friends and family missing as they were separated during the flood. I am a solo traveller, but I was on my way to a yoga holiday which started the following day. It was 5pm when the flood hit. Some one some where knew it had rained at the head of the canyon but they had no strategies in place to notify the people at the gate. It never rains in July in this part of Turkey - well it hasn't for the past 15 years. But you could see where previous floods had left a grey spluttery mark high on the canyon walls - which certainly does occur from october through to may. It is so sad that two people died, but when I was in that torrent I was certain there would be a high death toll. We were rescued by the local rafting guides as search and rescue were taking too long to get organised that the guides decided to come up on their own. They did not bring safety gear with them though and so we had to join hands and walk through deep fast moving water where you couldn't see the bottom as the water is so opaque. There were life jackets further down stream which we eventually collected. They wanted us out of there as it gets freezing there at night. I was thrilled that the water receded so quickly - unheard of in NZ but then it would only have rained for 10 minutes somewhere at the head of the canyon for this flash flood to occur. There's a lot more to be said about the rescue and reporting and hospital care etc but Turkey is a developing country and they do their best. I'm so happy I survived and I'm looking forward to returning to the canyon as I would like to trace where I got swept away and where I landed. It is also a spectacular place and of course I lost my camera which incidentally i had in two dry bags but it got ripped from my hands, as did my river sandals get ripped from my feet. That was a bit uncomfortable walking out with no shoes on. I had bleeding knees but they are not too bad, the worst was the excruciating sinusitis that started the next day. The nasal discharge was so disgusting but they did give me antibiotics so at least i has them on board but had to change them as they weren't effective It smelt like sewerage coming out of my nose - and I know that others that were submerged had the same consequence. So do go to the canyon - it is amazing - there was a police enquiry as a result of the incident so hopefully they have some safety measures in place - it's only dangerous if it rains (and it wasn't raining in the canyon anywhere near where we were that we could see)

Offline usedbustickets

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Re: A personal report from a person caught in the flood at Saklikent
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2014, 09:28:45 AM »
Sadly another example of where safety is either not considered, or simply ignored or discounted in the Turkish Tourist industry.  I think that we have had about 4 or 5 tourist related death incidents this year and many more serious injuries, in this area alone.  Does the local or national government not believe there are problems that they need to address?  It is not good enough to say that Turkey is a developing country and that in itself is a reason for making this sort of thing acceptable.  After all there are any number of examples where the latest (developed world) technology is in place when it suits, usually meaning where it can make money. >:( >:(

I am saying this, and I know the Turkish government or indeed owners of businesses do not give a fig, just as long as the 'right people' are making the money.  Look at the recent mining incident, and the reaction of the government and owners, especially that cruel heartless bark Reg and the comments he made.  And if the Turkish leadership do not even care for their own people in situations of danger, why should I think they would do anymore for visitors to their country..... very very sad :( :(

Offline jondo

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Re: A personal report from a person caught in the flood at Saklikent
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2014, 12:11:33 PM »
Our good friend Sue and her family were at Saklikent that fateful day and her husband and 2 grandsons were about to enter the ticket toll when the surge occurred. Luckily they were only 'unwilling' observers and not victims.

Sue, being a nurse of considerable experience, helped where she could - she tried heart massage on the big Turkish man but it was unsuccessful (the locals had held him upside down to try to drain the water from his insides!) and it was then reported that he died in the ambulance on the way to hospital!

She then comforted members of a French family until they were reunited and she also helped the girl from NZ above.

Unsurprisingly Sue and her family feel it is unlikely that they will be visiting Saklikent again as the whole event was so harrowing and sad.





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