20.05.2026 09:21
When the water level of the Karakurt Dam in Sarıkamış district of Kars reached 100 percent capacity, the old village was completely submerged. Only the tip of the mosque's minaret remained. An elderly citizen throwing stones at the drone during filming drew attention.
In the Sarıkamış district of Kars, when the water level of the Karakurt Dam reached 100 percent capacity, the change that had been ongoing for years became fully visible. While the old village, once home to hundreds of people, is now submerged, only the pointed tip of the mosque minaret remains. The image of the minaret rising amidst the waters creates a sorrowful scene, while an interesting incident in the village also drew attention. An elderly citizen, seeing a drone for the first time while it was filming over the dam lake, picked up a stone and threw it at the device after trying to understand it. Those moments were captured on camera.
OLD SETTLEMENT AREAS COMPLETELY SUBMERGED
After the Karakurt Dam Lake reached 100 percent fullness, controlled water discharge began. With the discharge, old settlement areas were completely submerged, leaving only the upper part of the minaret from the village. The region, captured from the air, presented a landscape where the past seemed to disappear under the water.
"ONCE, CHILDREN'S VOICES ROSE FROM THE VILLAGE"
Ahmet Can Çetinkaya, who stated that children's voices once echoed in the Karakurt village, said, "In the past, there were houses in Karakurt village, there were children, and their voices could be heard. Now, we remember our past by looking. Our mosque is under the water; we just look from a distance and move on."
Meanwhile, in the footage captured by the drone; the areas where the houses once stood have completely turned into a lake, and the minaret rises alone in the middle of the water. Residents said they watch with sorrow the transformation of the village they lived in for years.
It was noted that the dam makes a significant contribution to the region in terms of energy production and water management, while the image of the minaret's above-water section and the citizen throwing a stone at the drone drew particular attention.