Storm flooding in Esenyurt province Istanbul, Turkey

Late Wednesday and early Thursday it rained in Istanbul. The rains triggered floods and slowed down traffic in the Turkish metropolis. Esenyurt has been hardest hit in the European part of the city, which is the most populous area in Istanbul and Turkey with more than 977,000 people. Streets and some buildings, especially houses with basement floors, were flooded with water, and people barely escaped from the raging water. In addition to Esenyurt, the rains especially affected the Beyoglu, Fatih, Zeytinburnu, Bayrampasa and Besiktas districts, forcing passengers to seek shelter from the downpours.