Torrential rain and storms hit Marmara

ISTANBUL

Torrential rains and storms swept across the Marmara Region on Dec. 16, resulting in overflowing streams and canceled ferry services.

Due to the rain and storm that started to take effect in Istanbul in the morning hours, trees were toppled, billboards and panels were overturned, sea transportation was disrupted and heavy traffic was experienced.

A tree fell on a car due to a storm in the Bakırköy district of Istanbul. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident, while the fallen tree was removed by fire brigades.

A roadside pine tree toppled over a lighting pole due to strong winds in Maltepe. Fire brigades arrived at the scene and cut the tree and removed it. The tree hanging on the lighting pole prevented a possible disaster.

In Kadıköy, construction panels around a five-story building to be demolished toppled onto the sidewalk due to strong winds. Many scooters on the sidewalk were trapped under the overturned panel.

While the downpour in the northwestern province of Çanakkale continued to negatively affect daily life, according to the information received from the Turkish State Meteorological Service, more than 100 kilograms of precipitation fell per square meter across the city.

While roads were flooded in the coastal areas of Çanakkale, some ferry services were canceled.

"According to the latest assessments, a meteorological warning has been issued to be careful and cautious against adverse events such as tree and pole toppling, roof flying and transportation disruptions, as the wind is expected to blow from the north and northeast directions in the form of a strong and localized storm [50-80 km/h] starting from the morning hours of Dec. 16 in Istanbul,” said Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, in a statement made on his social media account on Dec. 15.