Turkey: Flooding in Istanbul July 18 due to heavy rain

Event

A storm brought heavy rainfall to Istanbul on Tuesday morning (local time), July 18, flooding the streets and effectively paralyzing daily life. A total of 6.5 cm (2.5 inches) fell in the morning, closing off access to bridges and roads, and flooding buildings. Some 6700 bolts of lightning were reported in the city in the span of two hours.

Due to hazardous conditions, various public transportation services were disrupted, including the Istanbul Ferry Company (IDO), which canceled some of its ferry services. Numerous tunnels (including the Eurasian Tunnel), metro stations, and underpasses were also closed in the city and temporary service suspensions were implemented on the city’s tram service from the Bağcılar suburb to Kabataş on the banks of the Bosphorus and on the metro line running from Ataturk International Airport on the city’s European side.

No casualties have been reported, but Turkish Transportation Minister declared the storm conditions to be a natural disaster. Heavy rainfall along with strong wind is expected to continue well into the evening. Conditions are expected to improve beginning July 19.

Advice

Individuals in Istanbul are advised to follow all instructions as issued by local authorities (e.g. possible evacuation orders) and follow local weather forecasts. In the event of further flooding, remember that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous; 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult.