Industrial climbers secure risky slopes after floods in Black Sea city

ARTVİN

Following heavy rains that triggered floods and landslides in the Black Sea province of Artvin, authorities have deployed industrial climbers to stabilize risky slopes along mountain roads across the city.

Working under the coordination of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and the General Directorate of Highways, the climbers ascend steep cliffs wearing full safety gear and use controlled methods to remove loose rocks, ensuring safer passage for drivers.

Videos from the operations show teams using levers and jacks to manage rockfalls under challenging conditions.

On Sept. 21, torrential rains caused floods and landslides across several provinces in the Black Sea region, damaging infrastructure and forcing precautionary evacuations.

Floods damaged guesthouses and farmland in Artvin’s Borçka, where the historic three-arched stone bridge collapsed after a river overflowed.

While flood and landslide damage has largely been cleared, the ongoing rock stabilization operations aim to prevent further accidents along the region’s steep and vulnerable mountain roads.

Artvin Governor Turan Ergün said authorities are working around the clock to restore normal life.

“We’ve opened our roads to traffic by working day and night, except for a few neighborhoods. The biggest relief is that no lives were lost,” Ergün noted.

Local residents have expressed gratitude for the teams’ efforts.

“The work they do is extremely dangerous. Watching them, you feel fear, but their dedication keeps the roads safe,” said Hakan Aydın, a driver.