Downpour and storm devastate Çankırı: Mosque minaret collapses under wind pressure

Severe wind and rain hit Çankırı, where the Meteorology Service had issued a 'yellow' alert warning of a storm.

One of the two minarets of the Bademlik Mosque, located on Taş Mescid Street in the Abdulhalik Renda neighborhood of the city center, collapsed after failing to withstand the storm.

While there were no deaths or injuries in the incident, a moving vehicle and a business were damaged when the minaret fell onto them.

The moment of the incident was captured second-by-second by a citizen on their mobile phone.

In the footage, the moment the minaret collapses is reflected in the mobile phone recording of the citizen who was filming the storm. Citizens experienced great panic at the moment the minaret toppled over.

Çankırı Mayor İsmail Hakkı Esen, who arrived at the scene to conduct inspections, said:

“We were already on alert. It was clear there would be wind, but it was not expected to be this strong. We have seen destruction we haven't witnessed before; trees have been uprooted throughout the city. We have closed open areas belonging to our municipality as a precaution. Our teams are in the field. We are evacuating buildings due to the risk of the other minaret collapsing. God forbid, it could fall on them too. We are warning citizens in the field about areas that pose a danger and advising them not to go out on the streets.”