02.02.2026 08:44
Due to heavy rainfall in Aydın's Kuşadası district, 20 passengers trapped in a minibus were rescued with the help of AKUT and nearby citizens. As the minibus filled with water on the street, the teams and volunteers experienced difficult moments.
Due to the heavy rain affecting the Aydın's Kuşadası district, streets and avenues turned into lakes, and the ground and basement floors of businesses and shopping centers were flooded. Around 10:00 PM, a city passenger minibus traveling in the district center was also submerged in water in front of the Kuşadası Chamber of Commerce. While the minibus, which had a malfunctioning engine, could not move, rainwater began to fill inside after a while. More than half of the minibus, which had 20 people inside, was submerged, and those inside called the 112 Emergency Call Center for help. Citizens nearby and AKUT Kuşadası team leader Tağmaç Saraçoğlu, who was close to the scene, extended a helping hand to the passengers trapped in the minibus. The passengers were helped to climb onto the barriers by using a sunbed and wooden doors brought from a nearby business.
'IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEP FORWARD'
AKUT Kuşadası team leader Tağmaç Saraçoğlu stated, "I heard the announcement that the minibus was submerged in floodwaters over my radio, but I went to the scene alone because my team members could not leave the points they were supporting. It was impossible to step onto the bypass road because the height and intensity of the water had reached a level that would never allow it. I saw a sunbed at a business by the roadside and made the first intervention with it. We managed to safely evacuate about 20 people from the water-filled minibus with the support of citizens at the scene," he said.