Heavy Rainfall and Storm Hit Turkey’s Istanbul

Heavy rainfall disrupted daily life in Istanbul Tuesday with floods and storms taking over the city, reported Daily Sabah Istanbul.

The Directorate General of Meteorology warned Monday of heavy rains and possible flooding, saying that summer temperatures were expected to drop from over 30 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.

Flooding in some metrobus public transports 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 Europe direction.

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

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.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!