Storm hits Istanbul, plane skids off airport runway

ISTANBUL

Heavy rain and strong winds hit Istanbul, disrupting transportation and causing congestion during the morning and evening rush hours on Jan. 7.  

The roofs of buildings flew off due to the strong wind in the Beşiktaş, Şişli, Kadıköy and Zeytinburnu districts.   

The storm blew the roof of an abandoned building in the historic Balat neighborhood, falling onto a street.  

Media reports have said a large oak tree was knocked down at the iconic Dolmabahçe Avenue in Beşiktaş.

Municipal teams and firefighters took precautionary measures in response to the trees knocked down and the roofs that flew off.

Several ferry lines operating between the two sides of the Bosphorus and intra-city ferries were canceled due to the storm.  

According to the General Directorate of Meteorology, the storm and rainfall will end on Jan. 8.

Plane skids off

The bad weather conditions also caused delays in departures from Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport.  

A Pegasus Airlines plane arriving from the UAE's Sharjah International Airport skid off the runway in Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

All 164 passengers on the plane were evacuated safely and there were no injuries, according to the Istanbul Governor's Office.

Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines redirected its Sabiha Gökçen-bound five flights to Istanbul Airport and one to Ankara.

The airport suspended flights for a short time following the incident.      

Separately, IGA, which operates the new mega-Istanbul Airport, said in a statement that flights at the facility continue as planned.