The severe storm of lodos (south-westerly wind) affecting Istanbul – which had prompted the authorities to issue a weather alert for this weekend – has caused strong swells along the coast of the Fatih district, where numerous tourists and onlookers have gathered on the shore to take photographs and snap selfies against the backdrop of the huge waves, despite the danger posed at times by the force of the sea.
The footage, filmed by a drone, shows several people trying to get the best shots whilst dodging the waves and trying to avoid getting soaked.
Parks closed and ferry services cancelled
In recent hours, the storm bringing strong winds and rain has caused incidents in various parts of the city. According to the TRT Haber news channel, by 1.00 pm on Friday alone, the emergency services had received 74 reports relating to detached roofs, fallen trees and other dangerous objects swept away by the wind.
In addition, 12 parks and nature reserves were temporarily closed, and several ferry services and two cable car routes were suspended. Istanbul and Sabiha Gökçen airports, however, have continued to operate as normal without any interruptions or flight cancellations.
In the European district of Eyüpsultan, north of Istanbul, early on Friday morning the wind tore off part of a roof, which ended up falling onto several vehicles parked on the street; fortunately, no one was injured.
Risk of hail and flooding at the weekend
The authorities are warning of heavy rain and storms arriving in Istanbul from midday on Saturday 14 November, with locally intense rainfall that could total between 21 and 50 litres per square metre. The spell of bad weather could last until the early hours of Sunday and be accompanied by hail, lightning, possible tornadoes and flooding, according to local media reports.
The Istanbul Emergency Coordination Centre (AKOM) also forecasts a change in the direction of the wind, which will shift from lodos to poyraz (north-easterly wind), with gusts that could reach 90 km/h and a drop in temperatures of between 6 and 8 degrees.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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