Turkey heatwave drives Istanbul residents and Van youths to cool off in water

A heatwave sweeping Turkey has pushed residents in several regions to seek immediate relief from soaring temperatures. In Istanbul, unusually high heat and humidity prompted crowds to flock to the Bosphorus shoreline, park shade, and beachfronts such as Bebek and Fatih Kumkapı. Local interviewees described the heat as “unbearably hot,” noting that families and friends gathered by the water to escape the sweltering streets.

Further east, in Van’s Muradiye district, a group of young people responded to the same oppressive heat by riding horses into Van Lake. The unusual scene, captured on mobile phones, created a “visual spectacle” as the horses splashed through the water, providing a novel way for the participants to cool down. Both episodes illustrate how Turkey’s citizens are improvising to cope with extreme summer temperatures across the country.