Heavy rain to batter eastern cities, Istanbul

With rains and thunderstorms expected to batter the country in the days ahead, the Turkish State Meteorological Service has declared a "yellow and orange alert" for 16 out of all 81 provinces, mostly in the east, while heavy rains will continue to pound Istanbul and its neighboring cities.

Rainfall, generally expected as thundery showers, sleet and snow are expected in parts of the Marmara region above 1,000 meters, Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Anatolia, Southeastern Anatolia and Eastern Black Sea regions.

Precipitation in the earthquake-hit provinces in Türkiye's south is also expected to batter Adana, Hatay and Osmaniye. Heavy rains are also expected around Diyarbakır and Tunceli, according to meteorologists.

The bureau also warned citizens to be cautious against possible hazards such as flooding, disruptions in transportation, lightning strikes, soft hail and strong winds.

Air temperatures, meanwhile, will decrease by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius in the inner parts and will be below the seasonal normals in the western parts, according to the report. There will be no significant change in the eastern region, it added.

As the wind is expected to blow from the south in eastern provinces, citizens should be careful against the possible risk of transportation disruptions, meteorologists warned.