Thunderstorms flood Istanbul streets and strike the Istanbul Financial Center

Thunderstorms that intensified in Istanbul during the evening caused water to accumulate on roads and streets in several districts. While a street in Küçükçekmece was submerged, lightning striking the Istanbul Financial Center buildings was captured on a mobile phone camera.

Thunderstorms that began in Istanbul during the evening intensified across many parts of the city. The rain, accompanied by lightning that illuminated the sky, caused water to accumulate on some roads and streets.

People in Istanbul who were caught unprepared for the rain had difficulty walking on the roads, while vehicles moved slowly in traffic. Akıncı Street in the Kemalpaşa neighborhood of the Küçükçekmece district on the European side was submerged. Water also accumulated on roads and streets in Arnavutköy, Fatih and Eyüpsultan.

Lightning struck the Istanbul Financial Center

On the Asian side, thunderstorms affected Ümraniye, Maltepe and Kavacık. The moment lightning struck the top of the Istanbul Financial Center buildings, located on the border between Ümraniye and Ataşehir, was recorded on a mobile phone camera. Lightning in the Fikirtepe neighborhood of Kadıköy was also filmed by residents.

The governor's office had issued a warning

In a statement issued shortly before the rain, the Istanbul Governor's Office announced that, based on data from the Meteorological Service radar, locally heavy rain and thunderstorms producing between 21 and 50 millimeters of precipitation per square meter were expected around the city over a two-hour period. The governor's office urged residents to remain careful and take precautions against hazards including flooding, flash floods, strong winds during the rain and disruptions to transportation.

Residents walking on a street in Istanbul in the rain