Investigation of the cause and effects of the floods in Hatay

Floods, after earthquakes, is one of the major and most frequent natural disaster humans encounter in the world and in our country endangering lives and causing human tragedy as well as heavy economic losses. Flood can be defined as a temporary overflowing of water over the river banks onto the land which is usually dry. It causes devastation and damage on the infrastructure facilities, residential and industrial areas and lands disrupting the normal economic and social activities in these regions. The negative impact on social life has emerged as humans settled in areas where water is abundant and started to benefit from the land in these regions. In this study, the effects of infrastructure and the interventions in the creek beds causing floods in the province of Hatay were examined and their consequences were evaluated. The legal regulations related to flood issues in Turkey were also examined. The effects of adverse interventions on the creek beds, their causes and way of occurence were examined for floods resulted in loss of life and property damage in recent years in the province of Hatay. These floods were also evaluated in terms of negative impact and technically unsuitable structural applications.