Road collapse in Rize shows the risk of unsupported excavation near urban buildings

A road collapsed suddenly in Rize, Turkey, after ground movement developed beside an active building construction site. The incident occurred in the Islampaşa neighbourhood while foundation excavation works were being carried out for a dormitory project.

The collapse involved both a retaining wall and part of the adjacent road. CCTV footage reportedly showed cracks forming in the road surface before the pavement suddenly gave way. No deaths or injuries were reported, but the incident damaged a gas pipeline and forced emergency teams to evacuate nearby buildings.

Police, fire services and Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority were sent to the site. The road was closed to traffic, the gas supply to the street was cut, and residents from nearby apartment buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Reports indicate that residents from 26 apartments were moved to public guesthouses for the night.

The incident appears to be linked to instability around the construction excavation and failure of the retaining wall. When soil is removed during foundation works, the balance of forces in the ground changes. If temporary support, drainage or retaining systems are not adequate, the ground behind the excavation can start to move.

Roads beside excavations are particularly vulnerable because they often carry traffic loads, buried utilities and shallow services. Once the retained ground begins to deform, cracks may appear in the asphalt. If movement continues, the road can lose support and collapse into the excavation or failed slope zone.

Rainwater can make the situation worse. After the collapse, teams reportedly covered the exposed area with a tarp to prevent water from entering the soil beneath the asphalt. This is important because water infiltration can increase pore pressure, reduce soil strength and accelerate further movement.

Damage to the gas pipeline also shows why excavation failures in urban areas are not only geotechnical problems. They can quickly become utility, fire safety and evacuation emergencies.

Witnesses said the road had started opening before the collapse, allowing people nearby to be warned and moved away. This may have prevented a far more serious outcome.

Visible cracks, settlement, bulging retaining walls, tilting kerbs, sudden pavement deformation and water seepage around an excavation should always be treated as warning signs. In dense urban settings, emergency exclusion zones should be created quickly, traffic should be stopped, utilities should be isolated and nearby buildings should be assessed.

Before work resumes at the Rize site, engineers will need to assess the failed retaining wall, excavation sequence, soil conditions, groundwater, drainage, nearby building foundations and the stability of the remaining road edge. Remedial works may require temporary propping, slope unloading, improved drainage, reconstruction of the retaining system and continuous monitoring.