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While much of Türkiye swelters under an intense heatwave, the eastern Black Sea province of Rize is facing a starkly contrasting situation, as heavy snow and avalanches continue to disrupt life high in the mountains.
At Balikli Plateau in the Ardesen district, located 2,546 meters above sea level, snow accumulation has surpassed 10 meters due to recent avalanches, local officials reported. The thick snow has completely buried plateau houses, leaving only their roofs visible above the snowline.
The avalanche-triggered snowfalls have blocked access roads to the plateau, 55 kilometers from Ardesen’s town center. Rize Special Provincial Administration teams have been working continuously for the past week to clear the roads to ensure local shepherds and residents can reach their summer pastures.
Osman Dedecan, an excavator operator with the provincial administration, described the challenging conditions: “We are dealing with snowdrifts between 3 to over 10 meters high. The work is tough and ongoing. We expect to complete clearing the plateau in the next few days despite rapidly changing weather.”
Resident Yakup Sismanlar explained that despite the heavy snow, the community is accustomed to this annual cycle. “Each year, the Special Administration clears our roads. We come to the plateau in early July.
Although the sea is nearby, right now it looks like it’s covered with snow. One side of the lake is snowy, while we swim on the other.”
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