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20 Killed in Turkish Floods

Downpour leaves 20 injured, more stranded

By Caroline Miller,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 9, 2009 7:11 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Flash floods gushed across a major highway and a commercial district in Istanbul today, killing at least 20 people and stranding dozens in cars or on rooftops, AP reports. Eight people are missing. Fueled by the worst rain in decades, waters rose more than 3 feet high in the city's Ikitelli district, cutting off the route to Istanbul's main airport and a highway to Greece and Bulgaria.

Two streams overflowed, hammering dozens of homes and workplaces. “There is huge damage to infrastructure. We need to be more careful when designing infrastructure and cities,” said a government minister. Floods in Turkey since Monday have now killed at least 28. More rain is expected in the country’s northwest, the BBC reports.

Passengers of a bus try to cross a flooded highway in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.
Passengers of a bus try to cross a flooded highway in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
Passengers of a bus on a flooded highway wait to be rescued in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.
Passengers of a bus on a flooded highway wait to be rescued in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
Rescue workers evacuate two passengers who were trapped in a bus in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.
Rescue workers evacuate two passengers who were trapped in a bus in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
Rescuers evacuate people trapped in a bus in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.
Rescuers evacuate people trapped in a bus in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
People try to cross a flooded road in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.
People try to cross a flooded road in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
Passengers of a bus on a flooded highway wait to be rescued in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.
Passengers of a bus on a flooded highway wait to be rescued in Ikitelli, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
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Turkey • severe weather • flooding • rain • Istanbul • flash floods • disaster

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