An alarm was given: The expected heavy downpour started in Istanbul, traffic was blocked

Heavy downpour, which has an impact throughout Türkiye and has been causing alarm for days, has taken over Istanbul. The rain, which started to show its effect on the European Side in the morning, increased its intensity as the day progressed and turned its route to the Anatolian Side.

Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) warned citizens by announcing that wind speed on the Anatolian Side will reach 80 kilometers per hour and nearly 100 kilograms of precipitation may fall per square meter.

"DO NOT WAIT FOR THE END OF WORKING" WARNING

As the predictions became reality and the situation became more serious, Meteorologist Prof. Dr. Orhan Şen shared an urgent warning. Şen stated that the rain would be very heavy in a wide area extending from Sarıyer to Beşiktaş, from Beykoz to Kadıköy and Bağcılar, and called on the citizens who were outside to go home without waiting for the end of work. Heavy rain is expected to continue until the night hours.

TRAFFIC CAME TO A STOP

The sudden downpour negatively affected transportation throughout the megacity. While drivers had a hard time due to puddles on the roads and reduced visibility, traffic density throughout Istanbul reached high levels early.

HERE ARE THE KEY POINTS

According to IMM Traffic Density Map data, the lines most affected by heavy rain and where traffic came to a halt:

E-5 (D-100) Line: The density reached its peak at Beylikdüzü, Avcılar, Küçükçekmece, Bakırköy and Haliç Bridge crossings due to heavy rain blocking the view.

Anatolian Side: D-100 Ataşehir, Maltepe and Kartal lines and TEM Highway Sultanbeyli and Kavacık junctions, drivers are driving stop-and-go due to rain.

Bosphorus Crossings: Due to the rainy weather, the density reached the key level on the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in the direction of the transition from Europe to Anatolia.