Turkey bans boats from leaving ports ahead of hurricane

AYDIN

Authorities have banned boats from leaving two western Turkish ports on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30 ahead of the expected landfall of Medicane, which was predicted to become the first hurricane in Turkey’s modern history.

Locals living on Turkish coasts from the provinces of İzmir to Antalya are on alarm mode as the tropical storm in Central Mediterranean was boosted into a hurricane with winds as fast as 180 kilometers per hour.

The coastal towns of Kuşadası and Didim in the province of Aydın were expected to be hit hard by the hurricane, according to meteorological models.

While the port authorities of the two towns issued a ban on boat departures, Turkey’s Meteorological Agency warned millions of Turks living in coastal areas.

According to the warning, the hurricane can trigger debris that can harm people and animals, blow away roofs, damage greenhouses and farms, flood beaches, topple utility poles and even minarets.