Istanbul Flooding Prompts School Shutdown and Public Worker Leave

ISTANBUL — The Istanbul governor’s office announced the closure of schools, placed some public sector employees on leave, and urged residents to stay home after heavy rain caused widespread flooding across the city on Wednesday.

Heavy downpours inundated homes, businesses, roads and underpasses, stranding vehicles and creating traffic chaos in the metropolitan area of about 16 million people. No serious injuries were reported.

In one district, bystanders rescued a woman swept away by floodwaters, according to footage broadcast by NTV. Firefighters also rescued another person trapped in a flooded basement, the report said.

Video images showed several parked cars being carried away by the floodwaters in another neighborhood.

The governor’s office said education would be suspended for a day on Thursday, and state employees with disabilities and mothers with young children would be granted leave. Residents were advised to remain at home unless travel was absolutely necessary, and those living in basement apartments were encouraged to spend the night elsewhere.

Motorcycles were also banned from traffic.

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