Heavy storm cripples life in Aegean town

Bad weather disrupted life in the western province of Balıkesir's Ayvalık district when sudden heavy rainfall and storm hit several neighborhoods, flooding houses and shops, sinking boats and knocking down trees.

Winds reached speeds of 70 and 80 kilometers per hour in the Aegean Sea, battering the coastal line of Balıkesir particularly heavily on its Ayvalık and Altınova districts days before the summer season was set to open.

In Ayvalık, strong winds sank at least 20 boats, blew away the roofs of several houses, and knocked down trees, while dozens of residences were flooded by the sudden downpour.

The floods particularly battered the seaside part of the resort town, where the waters of the Aegean Sea overflowed the shore and swept through the streets, submerging vehicles.

A person falling into the sea from a sinking boat was captured by cameras, but no causality was reported.

A lighting pole was also overturned in Altınova where solar energy systems on the roofs of houses collapsed.

While municipal teams carry out cleaning work, damage assessment studies continue in the district.

Twenty boats were reported to have sunk in the neighboring district of Dikili in İzmir.

Meanwhile, meteorology officials warned of heavy rains and storms in the Marmara region.

Turkey,