Heavy rain floods Malatya underpasses, closes key junction

Thunderstorms that intensified on the evening of Oct. 12 flooded streets and underpasses across central Malatya, bringing traffic to a standstill. The Emeksiz Junction on Turgut Temelli Avenue was closed in both directions after water pooled on the roadway, and the adjacent Emeksiz Underpass on the ring road also filled with water, halting vehicle passage.

On the Southern Ring Road near Başharık neighborhood, deep standing water stranded several vehicles and forced drivers to proceed at a crawl. Similar flooding occurred on the ring road between the Çöşnük and Mişmiş Park junctions, while pedestrians struggled on inundated sidewalks throughout the city center.

“Every downpour drowns not just concrete and asphalt, but people's lives, labor, and time.”

Municipal and General Directorate of Highways crews began drainage operations overnight, reopening the underpasses once water levels receded. Work continued across the city on Oct. 13 to clear remaining floodwater and restore normal traffic flow.

A Yeni Malatya column published on Oct. 14 argued that the flooding reflects chronic infrastructure neglect rather than an isolated weather event. The piece cited clogged drains and insufficient drainage capacity as recurring causes, noting that a 35-billion-lira infrastructure investment program has not prevented repeated inundation of the same underpasses.