TURKEY WITNESSES THE WORST FLOODING IN 80 YEARS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.09.2009 11:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At least 23 people have been killed and a number
of others are missing after flash floods in north-west Turkey.

The flooding struck districts in and around Turkey’s largest city of
Istanbul, swamping houses and roads.

The flooding was caused by torrential rainfall- the worst in 80 years-
that has been lashing the area since Monday. It has been reported in
Turkey that one area received 24cm of rain in just two hours.

Istanbul’s Deputy Governor Hikmet Cakmak described the scene in the
Ikitelli district as a "disaster", Turkish media report.

Roads, homes and farming land were submerged in nearby towns and at
least two bridges collapsed.

The worst flooding was in low-lying areas in the western (European)
part of the city straddling the Bosphorus Strait, which divides Europe
from Asia. The centre of Istanbul has not really been affected by
flooding, BBC reported.

According to Turkish media, at least 30 fell victims to the
disaster. As PanARMENIAN.Net was reported, no Armenian Diaspora
representatives were found among victims.