24.03.2026 10:49
As a result of heavy rainfall that has been effective in the Yüreğir district of Adana for the last three days, many agricultural lands have been submerged. Farmers stated that they have suffered significant losses, especially in crops such as corn, watermelon, and melon.
In Adana, the heavy rainfall that has been effective for the last 3 days has flooded agricultural lands in the Yüreğir district. In the area captured by drone from the air, many crops, especially corn, watermelon, and melon, have been damaged. The recent rains in Adana, the agricultural capital of Çukurova, have negatively affected agricultural production. Due to the rains that increased their impact, especially in the last week of March, many fields in the Yüreğir Plain have been submerged. In the areas captured by drone, it was observed that a large portion of the cultivated lands was covered with water. While corn, watermelon, melon, tomatoes, and peppers are being planted in the region, it was learned that the citrus harvest has not yet been completed in some areas.
"OUR FARMERS' DAMAGE IS GREAT"
Mehmet Akın Doğan, the President of the Yüreğir Agricultural Chamber, stated that the excessive rains have put farmers in a difficult situation, saying, "There have been continuous rains in our Adana province for the last 3 months. Due to the rains that fell especially in the last 3 days, most of the lands have been submerged. We are currently in the last weeks of March, and corn, watermelon, melon, tomatoes, and peppers have been planted in the fields. The corn seeds and watermelon and melon seedlings have been submerged and spoiled, and our farmers' damage is great," he said.
"FARMERS WILL HAVE TO REPLANT"
Pointing out that the rains have been ongoing for a long time, Doğan said, "The rains have been continuing since the end of December. After February 19, the Ceyhan and Seyhan rivers rose, and the problems in the region increased again. The years 2024-2025 were dry, but now, due to excessive rainfall, most farmers could not plant their crops. A large portion of the planted corn seeds has gone to waste, and farmers will have to replant," he stated.
"DAMAGE IS GREAT IN SOME AREAS"
Doğan noted that watermelon seedlings have also been damaged in some areas, especially in Karataş, while stating that the damage is less in higher elevations. Mehmet Akın Doğan said, "The crops that remained in the low areas have been completely damaged, but the watermelons and melons in the higher areas have not been harmed. Because the elevation difference in the plain is low, the water level in the fields is the same as in the drainage channels. Therefore, there is no chance for the water to flow away," he explained.
"DRAINAGE CHANNELS HAVE NOT BEEN CLEANED ENOUGH"
Emphasizing the drainage systems, Doğan said, "The State Water Works (DSI) should have cleaned all the drainage channels before entering winter, but this cleaning was not done adequately. If the necessary cleaning and repairs had been carried out, the waters could have receded, and the fields could have been saved." Additionally, Mehmet Akın Doğan requested support for the affected farmers, stating that the areas planted with corn are not covered by insurance under TARSİM because the plants have not emerged, but in products like watermelon, melon, tomatoes, and peppers, if the seedlings are damaged, they can be evaluated under insurance.
"MORE RAIN FELL THAN WE EXPECTED"
Farmer Cemal Kaya explained that he planted 300 decares of corn in the region and that it has been submerged, saying:
"We planted corn as our first crop. Due to the rain, our land has been under water for two days, and most likely our crop has completely rotted. Right now, we have 300 decares of land that we planted, and there are also areas we have not yet planted. The 300 decares we planted and the lands our friends planted are currently completely under water, and most likely all of them will rot. We did not expect such rain. More rain fell than we expected, and because the DSI did not drain the water, our lands have been submerged. We are expecting help from our government."