Heavy rain, hail hit Istanbul’s Asian side

ISTANBUL

Heavy rain and hail hit some districts of Istanbul’s Asian side, particularly Çekmeköy and Sultanbeyli.

Residents of those affected areas covered their vehicles with carpets and blankets to protect them from the hailstones.

Motorists in Çekmeköy had to take cover under a bridge to wait for the heavy rain and hail which lasted for some one hour with intervals.

“We first heard the thunder rumbling. Then all of a sudden the hail started to pour in. We ran to cover their vehicles,” said Kadir Haymana, a resident.

“I soaked to the bone. I was caught off guard in the middle of the road while I was delivering an order,” said Burak Aksu, a motorcycle courier.

He said he needed to deliver more orders but it was not possible to work under these conditions.

Turkey has been experiencing extreme weather incidents in the past years, such as floods, hails, heavy rain and storms.