Flooding in Turkey kills nine -- NTV

ISTANBUL, July 3 (Reuters) At least nine people, including three children, have died in flooding caused by heavy rain in northern and eastern Turkey over the past two days, NTV television said today.

It showed houses wrecked by strong river currents triggered by storms that are expected to last for the rest of the week.

''Security forces are doing everything they can at the moment,'' said Hasan Basri Guzeloglu, governor of Samsun province on Turkey's Black Sea coast that was especially hard hit.

The floods have shut down many roads and railway lines in the region, though electricity supplies have largely been restored, Guzeloglu told Reuters by telephone.

''There are still two villages we can't reach,'' he added.

Guzeloglu could not confirm any of the reported casualties.

Other areas badly affected included the provinces of Van, Mus and Bitlis in Turkey's mountainous, impoverished eastern region, NTV said.

Reuters SHR RN1906