Hydroelectric Dam Bend Failure Floods Rice Fields in Çorum, Turkey

A hydroelectric plant’s bend ruptured in the Bayat district of Çorum province, Turkey, causing an uncontrolled release of water that submerged roughly 150 dönüm (about 150 acres) of rice fields. The leak was first detected at night in the village of Sağpazar, and authorities quickly opened the plant’s gates to drain the water.

Bayat municipal teams and State Water Works (DSİ) crews carried out the drainage and began repairs. Plant operators assured residents that the damaged agricultural lands would be compensated and that irrigation water would continue to be supplied. The site’s foreman, Halit Aslan, said the structure would be back in service within four to five days, emphasizing that the affected farmers would receive water for their crops during the repair period.