Famous Cappadocia rock formation collapses on tourists in Turkey, casualties reported (video)

A tragic natural disaster has occurred in Cappadocia, one of Turkey's world-famous major tourist hubs, as a result of heavy and prolonged rainfall. A massive section of one of the region's iconic "fairy chimney" rock formations collapsed onto people.

The incident, which took place on October 29, 2026, at approximately 15:15 local time, resulted in casualties among tourists and local residents.

Details of the tragedy and casualties

The following information has been released regarding the incident that occurred in the Göreme National Park area:

• Location of the incident: The collapse occurred at the entrance to the open-air historical museum in Göreme National Park, near a crowded tourist walkway and a parking lot;

• Casualties and injuries: As a result of the collapse of heavy volcanic tuff rock fragments, 3 people died, and at least 5 people sustained injuries of varying severity;

• Identities: According to official information, two of the deceased were identified as Turkish citizens, and one was a foreign tourist.

What caused the rock collapse?

Nevşehir Province Governor Huseyn Kok issued a statement regarding the incident and clarified the contributing factors:

• Rainfall factor: According to the conclusions of experts and the administration, the softening and subsequent collapse of the centuries-old rock formations were caused by the excessively heavy and incessant rains observed in the region in recent days;

• Rescue operation: Currently, rescue teams, canine units, and emergency medical teams are continuing search operations at the disaster site to clear the debris and determine if there are other people trapped under the rocks.

Hot air balloon flights temporarily suspended

The adverse weather conditions continuing in Cappadocia have also had a serious impact on the region's primary tourist activity:

• Flights canceled: Due to the risk of strong winds and incessant rainfall, safety measures have been tightened, and flights of the famous traditional hot air balloons were completely canceled for October 29 and 30;

• Warning to tourists: Local authorities are urging visitors moving around natural monuments and open rocky areas to take precautions and avoid approaching dangerous zones.

It has once again been demonstrated that Cappadocia's unique relief, formed due to the soft nature of volcanic rocks, remains one of the areas at high risk of erosion during periods of heavy rainfall.