Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and fifth largest populated city in the world with a population of 12.6 million. It is a megacity, as well as the cultural and financial centre of Turkey. The city covers 39 districts on 1,830km2 forming the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosporus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosporus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. It represents today 20% 0f Turkish population, 38% or workforce, 55% of trade, and 21% of GDP. 
It sounds as if Istanbul has an occurrences with disasters.. Almost 10 years ago, more than 18,000 perished in an awful earthquake; which widely condemned the faulty engineering and construction of the buildings.. While authorities are busy drawing emergency counter plans for earthquake, the city suddenly flooded after heaviest rain in 80 years.. The rain in few hours reached 24 cm fall, which came from the western hills to flood the lower plains that are the new dense populated districts.. The recent disaster is another episode in the troubled bid to join the European Union.. Certainly it is an unexpected nightmare for the Turkish Authorities, in critical time, when all battles are launched to claim the European title. Istanbul was battling the green coverage, which is 1/8 of highest in Stockholm, and 1/2 of average European, representing 10m2 per person..!!
The entire matter is a typical example of malfunctioned town design and master planning.. The population increased five times since 1970th; which fill the plain outskirts of the city with unplanned districts. Extensions of Istanbul filled all plains and rivers banks, mostly irregular and provide inadequate preparedness for disasters.. Many voice rose since 1999 requesting reforms on the regulatory and municipal authorities, but it seems that the politicians, bureaucrats and business lobbyists managed to reduce their exposure to various risks as low as possible..!!
Thankfully, as per Reuters; “Istanbul's ancient district of Sultanahmet, with its famous mosques, the palaces of the waterfront and Beyoglu's area of narrow streets were largely unaffected.” Istanbul: this magnificent city, which always attracted history, arts and politics in mysterious composition, should attract all efforts to preserve its uniqueness and beauty.. Knowing that the dream of the intelligentsia is not necessarily the shared one with the money makers.. In today's world, all goodness is defeated by the magic of Dollars..!! Istanbul is not an exception..!!
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