Powerful Storm Blows Roofs Off Over 100 Houses in Istanbul - Authorities

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th January, 2020) A powerful cyclone, which hit northwestern Turkey this week, has torn roofs off 108 buildings and tumbled down 128 trees in Istanbul, the city mayor's office said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The second day of rain and wind squall disrupted the work of transport, and led to an increase in the number of accidents. About 100 millimeters of precipitation fell per square meter. Evacuation was carried out at 61 facilities due to flooding, 108 roofs were demolished by the wind, three supporting walls collapsed, 128 trees fell.

There were no casualties," the statement says.

A Sputnik correspondent traveling from Ankara to Istanbul saw nine accidents on the highway, three of which involved several cars at once.

A Russian tourist told Sputnik in Istanbul that the planned city tour program had to be canceled because of the gale and heavy rainfall. "What is happening in Istanbul cannot be described in words! Rain, severe wind, a hurricane by Moscow standards, a storm on the Bosphorus," she said.

According to the Turkish Weather Service, the storm will rage in Istanbul until Wednesday.