As Istanbul worked on July 23 to recover from the devastation left by the previous day’s severe storm, authorities were also taking precautions to prevent the adverse weather, forecast to persist through the weekend, from causing further disruptions to daily life.
Following General Directorate of Meteorology (MGM) and Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) warnings, officials enacted swimming bans due to high waves. Citing the Provincial Administration Law, authorities closed Beykoz’s Black Sea beaches from July 23 to 27, enforcing similar restrictions solely for July 23 in Arnavutköy and Sarıyer’s Kısırkaya Public Beach.
Falling cafe umbrellas slightly injured customers in Fatih’s Sarayburnu, while a flying tent piece struck one person on the Üsküdar coast, where strong southwesterly winds generated massive waves and disrupted pedestrians. Part of a flying roof also injured another person on Beyoğlu’s Örnektepe Etibank Avenue.
Winds blew off roof fragments in Bahçelievler’s Kocasinan and dropped construction materials on İstiklal Avenue, forcing security measures. Uprooted trees blocked traffic on Bakırköy’s Florya and Ümraniye’s Küçüksu avenues, crushed a car in Gaziosmanpaşa’s Yenimahalle and toppled in Zeytinburnu’s Seyitnizam Şehitler Park. Broken branches severed power lines on Sultangazi’s 2904th Street in Esentepe, cutting power.
Coastal picnickers struggled in Zeytinburnu, while a three-story building’s roof collapsed in Beştelsiz. Workers in Büyükçekmece’s Mimaroba were dragged trying to secure a cafe umbrella. In Esenler’s Oruç Reis, a flying roof crashed onto a street, narrowly missing playing children and a passerby.
On Küçükçekmece’s Kazım Karabekir Street in İnönü, roof chunks from an evacuated five-story urban transformation building hit two opposite apartment blocks, piercing top-floor ceilings without casualties.
Homeowner Betül Yuşan was cooking when the incident occurred. “I suddenly saw the roof coming toward us,” Yuşan said. “The opposite building was left in scrap condition. My child was sleeping on the sofa in the living room. We experienced great fear.”
Resident Serhat Tahı, home with his father and brother, noted the evacuated building’s iron parts were previously removed. “Then the roof’s wooden parts flew onto our roof and house, causing serious material damage,” Tahı said.
Fire, police and municipal teams maintain recovery operations, stepping up measures for coming days.
