Aircraft landing at Istanbul Atatürk airport during the storm suffered damage.
Tennis ball-sized hail caused extensive damage to vehicles, aircraft, buildings and infrastructure in Istanbul yesterday July 27, 2017.
Radar presentation of the storm and photographs indicate it was a supercell which produced hail larger than 10cm in diameter.
Photo of the supercell that hit Istanbul yesterday afternoon.
Construction cranes were toppled over and roofs ripped off in the intense downburst. At least three people were injured.
It is the second time in 10 days that the metropolis has been hit by weather-related disruption.
Bus passangers swim to safety after flash floods turned roads into lakes
Part of a stone wall surrounding a cemetery for the Christian Armenian community had been demolished in Thursday’s storm, hurting two people.
Winds also toppled a large crane that landed on oil barrels at a port, causing an explosion and a fire, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. At least one person was injured in the fire, which was later brought under control. A small depot also caught fire after being hit by lightning.
Serious damage to buildings and broken windows after the monster hail yesterday.
Heavy rainfall disrupted the evening rush hour traffic, stranding vehicles in flooded streets. Delays were reported at Istanbul’s main airport and some planes were diverted to other airports.
Balls of ice came down from the sky in a variety of shapes...and in huge size
Turkish authorities temporarily closed down the Eurasia road tunnel, which connects Istanbul’s Asian and European sides under the Bosphorus strait, as a precaution.
Video shows hail bombardment in Istanbul yesterday:
Istanbul Hailstorm in Photos:
