Turkish minister blasts meteorologist’s comment about possible extreme heatwave in Istanbul

KOCAELİ – Doğan News Agency

Forestry and Waterworks Minister Veysel Eroğlu has criticized the comments of a meteorologist about a possible extreme heatwave in Istanbul on July 30.

Eroğlu blasted Professor Mikdat Kadıoğlu, saying “scientists do not claim, they prove.”

Kadıoğlu had shared a post on the weather forecast in Istanbul via his official Twitter account, saying that if he had the chance he would leave Istanbul by July 30. 

“If I had a chance I would leave Istanbul before July 30 and travel to the north of Turkey. I would not come back within one week. An extra-strong heatwave is coming,” he wrote.

Speaking during a visit to Kocaeli Governor Hüseyin Aksoy, Eroğlu slammed Kadıoğlu’s forecast as sensationalist.

“Some people are creating an atmosphere as if a huge disaster is coming to Istanbul. There is no such thing. Scientist do not claim, they prove,” he said.

“As a ministry we forecast 30 degrees in Istanbul for July 30. The temperature rose to 37.4 degrees in previous Julys. So there is no sense in present these forecasts as if a calamity is coming to Istanbul,” Eroğlu added.    

A strong heatwave from northern Africa hit Turkey at the beginning of July and was particularly effective in Istanbul, with temperatures rising between 6 and 8 degrees above seasonal norms.