Noodweer teistert Istanbul

quote:

Heavy rainfall and storm hit Turkey
The heaviest rainfall since 2009 disrupted daily life in Istanbul Tuesday with flash floods and storms taking over the city while millions of Istanbulites were struggling to get to work.

The Directorate General of Meteorology warned Monday of heavy rains and possible flooding, saying that summer temperatures were expected to drop from over 30 degrees Celsius to 20. A few showers hit Istanbul late Monday, before it started to pour rain early Tuesday. The rain reached its height at 8:30 a.m., with huge black clouds covering the sky.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said in a statement that 65 kilograms of rain fell per square meter in central locations in an hour, accompanied by winds blowing up to 80 kilometers per hour.

Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin said in a joint press conference with Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş that severe rainfall expected again in Istanbul after 2:00 p.m. local time.

Flash flooding saw main roads turned into rivers, with many soaked commuters forced to abandon submerged vehicles. Many underpasses, intersections and bus stops were put out of action, leaving thousands of pedestrians stranded. Drenched commuters could be seen wringing out wet clothes or going barefoot after abandoning sodden footwear.

Flooding in some metrobus and metro stations led to disruptions, while the Eurasia Tunnel, which connects the Asian and European sides of Istanbul under the Bosporus Strait, was temporarily closed to traffic in the Europe direction.

Services partially suspended at M1A Yenikapı - Atatürk Airport and M1B Yenikapı - Kirazlı metro lines as several stations and tracks were flooded. T1 Kabataş-Bağcılar and T3 Kadıköy - Moda tram lines were also suspended.

Istanbul Sea Buses (IDO) canceled several ferry services in the Marmara Sea, and although there were no disruptions in ferry services across the Bosporus, Istanbulites had a hard time reaching ferry terminals due to flooding in seafront areas.

Meanwhile, the Istanbul Governorate urged people not to use personal vehicles unless necessary.

Numerous buildings, offices and shops were flooded, while several people were trapped in their cars or homes due to the heavy rainfall, media sources reported.

Traffic was brought to a halt during rush hour across Istanbul, preventing thousands of employees from reaching their workplaces on time.

The Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) also published a warning for Istanbulites, saying that folding ceilings could fly away or that trees could fall over due to the severe winds and storms.

Severe rains are also expected to hit western provinces of Bursa and Yalova, and the northern Black Sea region.