Kirisci: “The soil has been reunited with water”

A reaction by Turkish Minister of Agriculture Vahit Kirisci about the “positive side” of the devastating floods in the earthquake zone that has killed 17 people has caused outrage among the public.

In a live television interview with Haberturk TV, Kirisci said that "the soil has also been reunited with water," a reference to the positive side of the disaster, which came after the country experienced a drought, and said that the floods had helped to replenish water levels in the Ataturk Dam by 300,000 cubic meters.

These comments from the Minister have been widely criticized on social media, with many people calling for his resignation and asking . him to apologize for his "inhumane" remarks.

Heavy rains and flooding during the week hit the southeastern Turkish provinces of Sanliurfa and Adiyaman, which had already been hit by massive earthquakes on Feb. 6, putting the region in further distress.

Heavy rainfall caused several streams to overflow, leaving many streets and avenues submerged in water.

The authorities are working to assess the damage and provide assistance to those affected by the floods.