ISTANBUL EXTENDS SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE TO FLOODING

ISTANBUL, OCTOBER 15 /SRNA/ – Schools in Istanbul will remain closed tomorrow due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall, the city authorities announced today.

Schools are also closed today, with classes expected to resume on Monday, October 19, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported.

Nuri Aslan, deputy mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, said rainfall in some parts of the city had reached between 130 and 273 liters per square meter.

Aslan said Istanbul had experienced some of the heaviest rainfall in recent years, which began two days ago.

At least two people, including a 14-year-old child, have died in the flooding in Istanbul, while 595 residents have been evacuated.

Following heavy rainfall in Beykoz, on Istanbul's Asian side, the side walls of a bridge over the Camlıbahce stream in Tokatkoy collapsed, forcing the road in the area to be closed to traffic.

Some vehicles parked on the bridge were left leaning against metal barriers.