Three people were killed and five others injured Thursday when heavy rain triggered a landslide that sent rocks falling from a fairy chimney, one of the towering volcanic rock formations shaped by millions of years of erosion, near the Göreme Open-Air Museum in Turkey’s Cappadocia region, local authorities said.
Nevşehir Governor Hüseyin Kök confirmed that rescue teams recovered a third body from beneath the fallen rocks, raising the death toll to three. Two of the victims were Turkish citizens, while the third was a tourist, according to local reports.
Heavy rainfall causes deadly fairy chimney rockfall in Göreme
The incident occurred at approximately 3:15 p.m. local time in Göreme, a popular tourist destination known for its unusual rock formations and historic cave settlements. According to Kök, heavy rainfall caused a landslide that dislodged rocks from one of the area’s distinctive fairy chimneys. The rocks fell onto an area where people were present, trapping victims beneath the debris.
Emergency teams initially recovered two bodies from under the rocks. Rescuers later discovered a third victim, bringing the confirmed death toll to three. Police, gendarmerie officers, medical personnel and teams from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) responded to the scene.
Kök said rescue operations had concluded. Four injured people were discharged from hospitals, while another remained under treatment for a hip fracture. Authorities also launched an investigation into the incident. A similar tragedy occurred in 2024, when a tourist was killed by falling rocks after heavy rain triggered a landslide in Crete’s Samaria Gorge, another popular tourist destination.
Bad weather forces cancellation of Cappadocia balloon tours
The deadly rockfall came after several days of unsettled weather across Nevşehir province, where intermittent rain and strong winds affected the region throughout the week. Poor weather conditions also forced authorities to cancel Cappadocia’s popular hot-air balloon tours on Wednesday and Thursday.
A rock formation known as a ‘fairy chimney’ collapsed in Turkiye’s Cappadocia region, reportedly killing at least two people. pic.twitter.com/N3c4WaD2FC
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 29, 2026
Flights operate on approximately 220 days each year, depending on weather conditions. The Nevşehir office of Turkey’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation must approve operations after assessing whether conditions are safe for flying.
Cappadocia’s ancient rock formations and cultural heritage
Cappadocia is internationally known for its fairy chimneys, tall rock formations shaped by volcanic activity and thousands of years of erosion. These formations develop as wind and water gradually wear away soft volcanic rock, leaving behind towering structures that have become a defining feature of the region’s landscape.
The region also has a rich cultural history. Greek-speaking communities lived there for centuries, leaving behind churches, underground settlements and other historic sites.
The Göreme Open-Air Museum, famous for its ancient rock-cut churches and Byzantine frescoes, forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region’s religious heritage also includes a 1,500-year-old underground Byzantine church discovered in Nevşehir, highlighting the area’s long history as a center of early Christianity.
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