Heavy downpours cause ruckus in Marmara, Aegean regions
ISTANBUL
Heavy precipitation and storms have caused a ruckus in the Marmara region as ferry passengers went through a hard time yesterday, with the Turkish State Meteorological Service continuing its warnings for the Aegean and Marmara regions, especially Istanbul.
Due to the severe storm, there were difficulties in the smooth functioning of transportation services in the Marmara Sea, while many houses and workplaces in Istanbul and Izmir were flooded.
Traffic density in Istanbul reached 73 percent due to rains, while a street in the Esenyurt district flooded. Fire crews helped in rescuing the vehicles left stranded in the floodwaters.
As the waves rose to meters during car ferry voyages in the Marmara Sea, passengers experienced frightening moments. Due to the alarming situation, ferry services between the northwestern province of Bursa and Istanbul had to be canceled.
The northwestern province of Balıkesir, for which the bureau issued an “orange alert,” experienced heavy downpours and disruption in transportation services.
A district bazaar in the southwestern province of Muğla’s Milas district was also flooded.
According to the latest weather report of the bureau, heavy downpours and storms will continue in the Aegean region and the eastern parts of the Mediterranean and the Marmara region, especially the northern parts of Istanbul.
The precipitation mass over Istanbul was reflected on the meteorological radar, the bureau stated.
The bureau warned that people residing in these regions should be cautious against possible disasters such as floods and landslides and that there can also be disruption in transportation services.
The winds can blow strongly and at a speed of 40-90 km/h in the Marmara and Aegean regions, northwestern parts of the Central Anatolia region, and the western and eastern parts of the Black Sea region.
Meanwhile, prominent meteorologist Orhan Şen stated that rains accompanying thunderstorms would continue in Istanbul for a while.
The wind will reduce its influence in the west during the day, while during the evenings, it will strengthen again in the western parts of the Aegean and Marmara region, Şen noted.
“Today and tomorrow, rains will be severe enough to cause floods in the southern parts of the Aegean and Mediterranean regions. Tornado waterspouts are possible over the Mediterranean Sea,” Şen warned.
Temperatures will decrease by 4 to 5 degrees throughout the country, while in the eastern regions, this decrease may be higher, Şen added.
