Citizens panicked as the sea surged for 10 minutes

Citizens fishing in the harbor area of the Cide district in Kastamonu noticed that the sea suddenly swelled upward about 15 meters off the coast, followed by the formation of a small whirlpool. A foul odor began to spread from the sea, which had surged in an explosion-like manner. Citizens fishing in the area during the incident experienced great panic. Upon reports from the citizens, Coast Guard Command teams were dispatched to the region. The teams conducted an investigation and subsequently left the area.

Fikret Gül, who stated that he was fishing during the incident, said, "The surface of the sea suddenly swelled, then pulled the swell downward. Then it blew upward once more. Then it exploded like a bomb. This happened around 16:00. It lasted about 10 minutes."

Ahmet Yıldız, who expressed that he had encountered such a situation for the first time, said, "The surface of the sea first swelled. After that, it pulled the swell inside and pushed it upward again. It was like filth, it smelled bad. I have been coming here for years, but I had never encountered such a situation; I am seeing it for the first time."

Erdi Gökağaç, who recorded the swell in the sea with his mobile phone, said, "Around 16:00, it was as if a pitch-black swell suddenly jumped from the bottom of the sea upward. It lasted about 10 minutes. Then, toward the shore, the swell disappeared."

A citizen named İbrahim Yiğit said, "Around 19:00, about 25 meters ahead of the harbor, what we estimate to be trapped filth erupted from under the sea. It was very large, and we want this to be investigated by the authorities. Because everyone swims here. It did not seem like a normal event. The Coast Guard Command came, did some research, and then they left. We also gave them the videos we had."

Stating that the situation is a natural phenomenon, Cide Fisheries Cooperative President Kazım Yılmaz said, "This event happens from time to time. It happens once a year or once every two years. It usually happens in the summer months. The filth coming from the stream accumulates in the harbor. A whirlpool and gas form. When this gas is compressed and explodes, it rises to the surface of the sea like an island. It is caused by the filth coming from the mountain with rainy weather or left in the stream. Actually, it is not a bad situation in any way. This is a natural phenomenon that happens from time to time. Gas is compressed at the bottom of the sea, and this compressed gas explodes. Especially when there is going to be a storm, the waters in the breakwater create a whirlpool. It collects whatever is at the bottom of the sea and brings it to the surface. This is a situation that happens occasionally in harbors."