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The lone minaret rises from Türkiye's flooded dam waters

Anadolu Agency
By Anadolu Agency
August 16, 2026 05:23 PM GMT+03:00

In Malatya's Battalgazi district, a partially submerged structure known locally as the "lone minaret" has become a striking sight within the waters of Karakaya Dam Lake, one of Türkiye's largest reservoirs.

Anadolu Agency
By Anadolu Agency

The minaret stands in Boran neighborhood, an area that has been gradually swallowed by rising water levels following a period of heavy rainfall this year.

Anadolu Agency
By Anadolu Agency

Karakaya Dam's water basin stretches across the provinces of Diyarbakir, Elazig and Malatya, and its rise has repeatedly submerged nearby settlements over the years.

Anadolu Agency
By Anadolu Agency

In the Malatya section of the dam, several coastal settlements, agricultural fields, and roads have been covered by rising water as a result of this year's rainfall.

Anadolu Agency
By Anadolu Agency

Aerial footage captured by drone shows the minaret's remaining visible section rising above the surface of the lake, surrounded by the still, expansive waters of the reservoir.

Anadolu Agency
By Anadolu Agency

The structure has become a recurring symbol of the region's changing landscape, reappearing each time seasonal rains and rising water levels submerge the area around it.