Flood claims one life in İstanbul

* Photos: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Governor of İstanbul Ali Yerlikaya has announced a flood has claimed the life of one person in İstanbul, hit by heavy rainfall yesterday (June 23).

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), earlier yesterday, a waterspout along with heavy rain caused flash flooding in parts of İstanbul.

Locals recorded the waterspout at Lake Büyükçekmece on the European side.

Heavy rain disrupted vehicle and pedestrian traffic in some districts on both the city's Asian and European sides, some regions were hit with hail. Some houses were damaged by the waterspout in the Çatalca district. One of the houses lost its roof and fence, and an electrical pole went down due to the strong winds.

One person died, eight others wounded

A Syrian national around 30 years old died, Governor Ali Yerlikaya has told reporters in Esenyurt, the city's district hardest hit by the rain.

Yerlikaya has said that eight people were taken to hospitals in Çatalca, Beylikdüzü and Esenyurt. The wounded are reportedly in good condition.

In a written statement released by the Governor's Office of İstanbul, it has been indicated that heavy rain, storm, watersprouts, tornadoes and thunderbolts were especially effective in Esenyurt, Büyükçekmece, Küçükçekmece, Çatalca, Silivri and Arnavutköy districts.

The Governor's Office has also announced that three children from Syria at the ages of two, three and five trapped in the ground floor of a building due to the flood in Esenyurt have been rescued and referred to a hospital. The children are reportedly in good health.

'Heaviest rainfall received by Ümraniye, Üsküdar'

Releasing a statement about the rainfall and ensuing flood in the city, the Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality has indicated that the highest amount of rainfall was received by Ümraniye and Üsküdar districts in the city's Anatolian side.

According to the statement of the AKOM, as of 2 p.m. yesterday, Ümraniye received 28.9 kilograms of rainfall per square meter while Üsküdar received 24.8 kilograms, Eyüp 20.7 kilograms, Samandıra 16 kilograms and Silivri 13.7 kilograms of precipitation per square meter.

Mayor İmamoğlu visited Esenyurt

İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu paid a visit to the district of Esenyurt, where the flood claimed one life. After visiting and examining the area, İmamoğlu addressed the reporters about the incident.

Underlining that some areas of the city are faced with infrastructural problems coming from the past, İmamoğlu has indicated that they will work in cooperation with the Esenyurt Municipality to quickly undertake the repair works in the areas hit heavily by the rainfall and flood.

He has also noted that "the precautions that should have been taken before the disaster were more important."

Referring to the Metropolitan Municipality's investments in 38 different parts of İstanbul to solve similar problems, İmamoğlu has expressed his wish to solve such problems of flooding permanently in the city.

Esenyurt Mayor: Housing based on unearned income

Esenyurt District Mayor Kemal Deniz Bozkurt has also stated that until all works are completed in the district, all teams will stay in the area.

Referring to the flood, he has noted that "the mistake lies in the housing which was undertaken in previous years based on unearned income."

He has also indicated that "from then on, they will work to separate sewer lines and rainwater lines and they will work to ensure that citizens will at least suffer from a minimum damage in such cases." (EKN/SD)