Türkiye: Rain and strong winds cause traffic jams and flight cancellations

<p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr">Arab Weather - Since the early hours of this morning, Istanbul has been exposed to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds, which led to large water pools in the streets and squares, and caused vehicle traffic to be disrupted.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Advance warnings from the Turkish Meteorological Authority</h2><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> According to Turkey Now, the Turkish Meteorological Authority had issued advance warnings about these severe weather conditions. By early morning, the storm was beginning to take shape, with heavy rain falling over large areas of the city.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Storm impact on mobility</h3><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Many areas in Istanbul witnessed large water pools that hindered movement on the main streets. On the coast in the Uskudar district, the sea waves were exceptionally high, which caused concern for residents who were on their way to work. </p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560" style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"><p lang="qme" style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lodos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lod... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/istanbul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F%C4%B1rt%C4%B1na?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc...ırtına</a> <a href="https://t.co/iAC7NAhyrq">pic.twitter.com/iAC7NAhyrq</a></p> — Ozgur Gezgin (@ozgurgezgin) <a href="https://twitter.com/ozgurgezgin/status/1860242160559259978?ref_src=twsrc... 23, 2024</a> </blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Turkish Airlines cancels 38 flights due to weather conditions in Istanbul</h3><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Turkish Airlines (THY) announced the cancellation of 38 scheduled flights on Saturday, due to the expected bad weather conditions in Istanbul.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> According to an official statement published by the local NTV channel, the decision included:</p><ol style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"><li style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 10 domestic flights.</li><li style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> 28 international flights.</li></ol><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> This measure came after warnings from the Meteorological Authority, which indicated that strong southwesterly winds would continue to affect the city.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Yahya Ustun, press advisor of Turkish Airlines, confirmed that the decision comes in response to the recommendations of the Meteorological Emergency Committee, which recommended reducing the airport&#39;s operating capacity by 10% as a precautionary measure. He explained that the cancellation includes flights scheduled for November 23, 2024.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Turkish Airlines is working to communicate with affected passengers to provide the necessary facilities, and travelers are urged to check flight updates before heading to the airport.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Cars stuck and water flooding the streets</h3><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> In the Siryan Tepe area, a car got stuck in a huge pool of water, causing traffic congestion. In the Gozle Bagh area, residents faced great difficulty in moving around due to heavy rains that turned the streets into bodies of water, resembling small lakes.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><h3 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Authorities&#39; efforts to confront the crisis</h3><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> As the stormy weather continues, the Meteorological Department expects the weather to worsen in the coming hours. Local authorities are working to minimize the impact of the storm by draining water and treating damage to ensure the safety of citizens and restore normal life in the city.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> See also:</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <a href="https://www.arabiaweather.com/ar/content/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%8A%... | Volcano in Iceland erupts for the seventh time in a year</a></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <a href="https://www.arabiaweather.com/ar/content/%D8%A5%D8%BA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82-... and roads closed as UK faces widespread disruption due to heavy snowfall</a></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p>