Heavy rain shuts down Istanbul, causing flooding and 3 deaths
ISTANBUL (AP) — A heavy downpour has shut down Istanbul, flooded homes and roads and killed at least three people, officials said Thursday, as rescuers evacuated hundreds of stranded people. The downpour Wednesday night flooded homes and businesses and inundated roads and underpasses, stranding vehicles and causing traffic chaos in Turkey’s largest city. In some […]
A severe downpour has brought Istanbul to a halt, flooding homes and roads and claiming at least three lives, officials reported on Thursday. The heavy rainfall, the most intense in 83 years, inundated neighborhoods, stranding vehicles and disrupting traffic in Turkey's largest city. Rescuers worked tirelessly to evacuate hundreds of stranded individuals amid the chaos.
Minister Murat Kurum, who will preside over the upcoming U.N. climate change conference, linked the disaster to the climate crisis, stating that "climate change is no longer an issue of the future; it is the most important issue of today." He highlighted that the city is now experiencing more intense rainfall events due to climate change.
The floods swept away cars, sending them crashing into one another in some areas. A 14-year-old boy lost his life after venturing into a puddle in a park in the Fatih district, while a 34-year-old man tragically slipped and hit his head on a sidewalk in the Sariyer district. The body of a third victim was discovered near another park in the Kagithane district.
Despite the widespread destruction, over 3,000 stranded residents were successfully evacuated throughout the city. The governor's office remains on high alert, with five people still reported missing.
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