A powerful storm swept across the Turkish city of Istanbul on Wednesday evening following warnings from weather authorities, disrupting daily life, causing property damage, and forcing incoming flights into holding patterns across the city.

The storm intensified following forecasts issued by the Turkish State Meteorological Service, bringing strong winds and dense dust clouds that drastically reduced visibility, The Caspian Post reports, citing Daily Sabah.

The European side of the city was hit hardest, with Silivri, Esenyurt, Küçükçekmece, Kağıthane, Başakşehir, Avcılar, and Arnavutköy among the most severely affected areas.

İstanbul'da fırtına çıktı.

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Windblown dust severely obscured visibility across several districts, including Küçükçekmece, Sarıyer, Gaziosmanpaşa, Sefaköy, Büyükçekmece, and Başakşehir, where the upper floors of high-rise buildings completely disappeared from view. Drivers were forced to slow down as conditions deteriorated, while pedestrians struggled to walk against the powerful gusts.

The storm also caused widespread structural and property damage. Strong winds ripped roofs off residential buildings in Zeytinburnu and Esenler, blowing rooftop debris onto streets in Bahçelievler and Beyoğlu. In Bahçelievler, a fallen tree damaged a parked car and motorcycle, while a residential building in Esenyurt's Kozapark complex also sustained damage from the heavy winds.

On the city's Asian side, beachgoers at Burunbahçe in Beykoz were forced to rush away from the shoreline as winds intensified, while coastal street vendors struggled amid blowing sand.

The severe weather extended to aviation operations, as several aircraft approaching both Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport were forced to circle in holding patterns before receiving clearance to land safely.