Friday, July 28, 2017

Golf Ball-Sized Hail Slams Istanbul; Storms Trigger Major Flooding, Injure at Least 3

Associated Press
Published: July 28,2017

At least three people were injured Thursday after a severe summer storm hit Istanbul, Turkey, with heavy rain and hail, taking down a stone wall and tree, and flooding the city's streets.
A portion of a stone wall surrounding a cemetery for the city's Christian Armenian community was demolished during the storm, injuring two. Rescue crews and residents worked together to remove the stones and looked for people trapped underneath the rubble.
An explosion and a fire occurred at a port after high winds toppled a large crane that landed on oil barrels, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. At least one person was injured in the fire, which was later brought under control. A small depot also caught fire after being hit by lightning.
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Heavy rainfall disrupted the evening rush hour traffic, stranding vehicles in flooded streets. Delays were reported at Istanbul's main airport and some planes were diverted to other airports
NTV television showed people leaving a bus that was stranded in a flooded underpass and walking to safety in waist-high waters. Hail the size of golf balls also damaged some windows and car windshields.
Turkish authorities temporarily closed down the Eurasia Tunnel, which connects Istanbul's Asian and European sides under the Bosporus Strait, as a precaution.
It was the second time in 10 days that heavy rain had inundated the streets of Istanbul and caused havoc in the sprawling metropolis.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

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