Sinking feeling: Turkish residents see town slowly submerge - in pictures

As Turkey's tallest dam slowly submerges their community, residents try to save what they can from the water

Residents of the north-eastern Turkish town of Yusufeli look on as their homes are slowly submerged by an artificial lake. All photos: AFP

The lake has been formed by the construction of the Yusufeli dam and its hydroelectric power plant project in the eastern Black Sea region

The lake will gradually cover the town as it retains the flow of the Coruh river, also known as Chorokhi

Residents are trying to retrieve materials from their homes before they disappear

Residents are trying to retrieve materials from their homes before they disappear

Volonteers from an animal rights NGO Haytap paddle a dinghy as they search for stray cats an dogs to rescue in the town of Yusufeli as it is gradually submerged by an artificial lake caused by a dam retaining the flow of the Coruh river (also referred to as Chorokhi), in Yusufeli, Artvin province, in northeastern Turkey, on April 4, 2022. - The Yusufeli Dam and its Hydroelectric Power Plant Project in the Eastern Black Sea Region has started to hold water, with the electricity production expected to start in May 2023. With a total water storage volume of approximately 2. 2 billion cubic meters, the double curvature concrete arch dam is Turkey’s highest with a height of 275 meters. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)

Electricity production at the dam is expected to start in May 2023

The Yusufeli dam and its hydroelectric power plant has started to hold water

The dam's total water storage volume will be about 2.2 billion cubic metres

At 275 metres the double curvature concrete arch dam is Turkey’s tallest

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