Iran Press/ Asia: An unexpected and substantial downpour particularly affected the European Side of the city.
The districts of Büyükçekmece, Başakşehir, Arnavutköy, Küçükçekmece, and Gaziosmanpaşa were hit the hardest, with numerous roads and workplaces inundated with water.
This significant weather event disrupted everyday life, limiting transportation and business activities in the affected areas.
In Istanbul’s northern districts, Basakşehir and Kucukcekmece, several deaths were reported, along with 31 injuries. Images from the scene depicted cars floating in floodwaters, painting a grim picture of the devastation caused by the sudden downpour.
The heavy rains had triggered flash floods in northwest Turkey, claiming the lives of at least seven people. Fatalities were reported in Kirklareli province, near the border with Bulgaria and Greece, where houses were flooded late on Tuesday.
This incident is not isolated to Istanbul or even Turkey. Torrential rain has caused unprecedented flooding across southeast Europe, damaging infrastructure and prompting evacuations. Fatalities and property destruction were reported in central Greece and Bulgaria’s Black Sea region due to the same weather phenomenon. This event underscores the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events—a clear sign of climate change.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya declared a state of emergency in the flooded areas.
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