Deaths, injuries as powerful storm pounds Istanbul

A powerful storm has pounded Istanbul and other parts of Turkey, killing at least four people and injuring 38 others, causing havoc in the city of 15 million people.

The victims included a woman who died in Istanbul's Esenyurt district, where strong gusts tore off part of a roof and it landed on her and her child. The child survived with injuries.

The Istanbul governor's office said on Monday three other people were killed in the city, including a foreign national. 

The gusts also knocked down a clock tower, TV images showed. 

The winds blew away 33 roofs, uprooted 192 trees, knocked down 52 traffic lights and road signs and damaged 12 cars, according to the Istanbul municipality.

Ferries, flights cancelled

The Bosphorus, the narrow waterway that bisects the city, was closed to maritime traffic and ferry services were canceled.

At least six Turkish Airlines flights scheduled to land in Istanbul were diverted to the cities of Ankara and Izmir, an airline spokesperson said.

The strong winds also forced authorities to cancel ferry services between the coastal resorts of Bodrum and Datca, local media reported.

Strong winds of up to 130 km per hour were felt in the city, according to the country's Meteorology General Directorate (MGM), with extreme conditions expected in nearby provinces like the western coastal city of Izmir. 

Footage from Izmir also showed sea levels rising, with high waves crashing along the shores of the Aegean city, while roads appeared to have been overflowing with water. 

The MGM warned that the winds would continue on Tuesday.