Flood Warnings for 15 Provinces - at least 1 Person Drowned

After heavy downpours all over Turkey, one person died in a flood in Gebze in the province of Kocaeli east of Istanbul. The victim died in his car after it got submerged in water. Another person is still missing.

The rain caused huge damage in the cities of Istanbul, Kocaeli and Batman (south-eastern Turkey). The State Meteorology Directorate (DMİGM) announced flood, flash flood and landslide warnings for 15 provinces.

One person died in Gebze, one person still missing

Hundreds of homes and office buildings were inundated after heavy downpours in Gebze. The D-100 Highway from Tuzla to Gebze was closed to traffic. Vehicles got stranded on the side roads. People got trapped in their cars and had to be rescued by firefighters.

Two factories in Tuzla (Kocaeli) stopped production. The Istanbul fire brigade tried to pump water out of homes and offices all night. Many families had to leave their homes and spend the night outside because of the flood.

The flash flood caused by a stream in Gebze caused the death of Özgür Doğan because his car got emerged in water. Doğan's body was found in a different place later on. His wife Esin Doğan, who was supposed to be together with him in the car, is still missing.

The Central Campus of the Gebze Institute of Technology was affected by the torrential rain as well. The administration building, class rooms and laboratories were inundated.

Eskişehir: 2,000 trees disrooted

A cyclone that raged in the village of Erikli in the province of Eskişehir (west of Ankara) damaged 2,000 pine trees. The storm reached a speed of up to 95 km per hour and disrooted many of the 250-year-old trees; others were snapped off in the middle.

Batman: Regional State Hospital flooded

The emergency room of the Regional State Hospital in Batman was damaged by the incoming water. The patients and their families criticized the hospital management since they were left in a difficult situation.

Meteorology warnings

The State Meteorology Directorate announced a warning for the region all over the country like Antalya, Isparta, Budur, Denizli, Uşak, Afyonharahisa, Küthaya (western Turkey), Zonguldak, Düzce, Bartın, Kastamonu, Sinop, Samsun, Ordu and Giresun (Black Sea Coast). In these areas, people should be alert of floods, flash floods, landslides and objects falling from roofs, the Directorate declared. (BT/EÖ/VK)