September 10th, 2009 @ kadraoui
ISTANBUL: Record flooding left at least 31 people dead and large parts of Istanbul under water yesterday as rescuers used military helicopters and rubber dinghies to ferry terrified residents to safety.
Neighbourhoods in Turkey’s largest city were left partially submerged after two days of the heaviest rain in 80 years. Rescue workers, some on boats, put out planks and ladders to help drivers, stranded in fast-flowing waters, reach the safety of bridges and high land. The worst flooding occurred in low-lying areas in the west of the city, on the European side, where drainage is often poor. Witnesses said waves of muddy waters pulling cars, trees and debris crashed into homes and buildings as people were getting up to break their fasting during Ramadan. “We heard a crashing sound and then saw the waters coming down carrying cars and debris,” said Nuri Bitken, a 42-year-old night guard at a truck garage.
“We tried to wake up those who were still asleep but some didn’t make it. The dead had to be retrieved by boats,” Bitken said. The biggest loss of life occurred in Istanbul itself where 20 people died in addition to three people who died a day before in the western suburbs, the city’s g o v e r n o r M u a m m e r Guler said.
“Unfortunat ely, eight people are missing,” he said. E a r l i e r , seven people drowned in flooding in the province of Tekirdag, west of Istanbul, Environment M i n i s t e r Veysel Eroglu said, describing the rains pounding the region as the “worst seen in 500 years”. Guler said six bodies were found at a truck park in the district of Basaksehir. The victims included a truck driver, a
security guard and a shepherd grazing animals nearby. Once the flood waters receded, the park was left under a thick layer of mud with trucks toppled over on the sides or thrown against each other.
In the neighbouring district of Halkali, seven women drowned when they were swept away by the flood as they tried to get out of their stranded minibus taking them to work at a textile factory, Guler explained. “The minibus was right at the front of the factory. It was hit by water coming from both sides. Those at the front got out, but those at the back could not,” the governor said.
“They were unable to open the van’s back door due to water pressure.” There were incidents of looting in some shops in areas affected by the flood where people were walking away with dinner sets, irons and electric kettles. President Abdullah Gul described the flood as the worst ever to hit Istanbul and pledged the state would do everything it could to help victims. Authorities launched a major rescue operation, deploying 900 firemen, six military helicopters and 30 inflatable dinghies.
The Istanbul mayor’s office said more than 1,000 people had been rescued since the floods began. Forecasters say they are expecting a new front of rain to move in over the countryover the next few days.
Tags: Floods, Gulf Daily News, Press