18.02.2026 20:26
Prof. Dr. Doğan Yaşar, a member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences' Working Group on Environment, Biodiversity, and Climate Change, stated that the concrete blocks placed on the Alsancak waterfront in İzmir do not prevent flooding. Yaşar said, "The concrete blocks placed have nothing to do with stopping water from flooding the waterfront. There is no problem with İzmir's coastline; the problem is subsidence. The city is sinking every year."
Prof. Dr. Doğan Yaşar stated that the concrete blocks built on İzmir's Kordon did not prevent flooding and that the city experiences problems every year due to subsidence. He emphasized that with the increase in rainfall, the city's planning and scientific solutions are needed to address these issues.
IZMIR IS UNDER WATER AGAIN
After the heavy rain in the city, many areas, especially Alsancak in the Konak district, were flooded, with roads and sidewalks filled with water, and manholes and the sea overflowing. Due to the overflow, puddles formed on the roads, and seawater merged with the sidewalks. Many businesses and some ground floors of buildings were flooded.
"THE PROBLEM IS IN THE BACKGROUND, WE ARE SINKING"
Prof. Dr. Doğan Yaşar, a member of the TÜBA Environment, Biodiversity, and Climate Change Working Group, expressed that they predict 2026 will be rainy and that the likelihood of flooding is very high, stating, "We faced an extraordinary rainfall this year. Record rainfall was broken in January, and even bigger records may be broken in February. With the south wind, the city was submerged. Only the Kordon is being talked about, but many places like Bayraklı and Buca are also underwater. They built a 'Great Wall' in my terms to prevent water from entering the Kordon, but the Kordon is completely underwater. Because the problem is not in the foreground, the problem is in the background, we are sinking. We are a city built on fill areas, especially in Basmane, Çankaya, and Alsancak," he said.
"WE NEED TO RAISE THE LEVEL"
Prof. Dr. Yaşar, who stated that the sea level has risen about 30 centimeters compared to the 1990s, said, "The main problem is that we are sinking. As we sink, the pipes in the area have started to gradually remain below sea level. With the rain and the south wind, since the pipes are below, water is being pushed up from below, and water is gushing from all the manholes. The subsidence varies regionally, and the city sinks between half a centimeter to 1 centimeter per year. It can sink a bit faster with earthquakes. We need to raise the level. The topography of all İzmir should be revised. The city should gradually start to rise again with natural scientists, urban planners, and later construction engineers," he said.
"PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED WITH PLANNING AND SCIENCE"
Prof. Dr. Doğan Yaşar, who stated that problems can be solved with planning and science, said: "The concrete blocks built have nothing to do with stopping the flooding of the Kordon. First, it will be measured topographically, and it will be determined how much the buildings will be raised. The pipes will also be raised, and the sea will remain below. There is no problem on İzmir's coastline; the problem is subsidence. The city sinks every year. These events did not occur until the 2000s; gradually the sea is rising, and the lower part is sinking. In 2023, hundreds of cars were submerged on the Kordon. This will become more frequent from now on. Therefore, it is essential to apply what needs to be done in the city as soon as possible by using science."