Turkey: Several feared dead as blast rocks Istanbul's popular Istiklal Avenue

New Delhi: At least eleven people have been injured in a blast in Turkey’s largest city Istanbul on Sunday, reports said.

Turkish media reported that the explosion happened on the city’s popular pedestrian Istiklal Avenue.

A video posted online showed flames erupting and a loud bang, as pedestrians turned and ran away.

İstiklal Caddesi’nde meydana gelen patlama anı. pic.twitter.com/ZuFByNKTyv

— Pusholder (@pusholder) November 13, 2022

Other footage showed ambulances, fire trucks, and police at the scene. The cause of the explosion is not clear yet. Social media users said shops were shuttered and the avenue closed down.

Loud blast heard in Istanbul’s Istiklal causing panic. pic.twitter.com/ZK6FViRooz

— Ted Regencia تِد (@tedregencia) November 13, 2022

The avenue is a crowded thoroughfare popular with tourists and locals, lined by shops and restaurants. The explosion occurred at about 4:20 pm local time, AP reported.

The area has been evacuated, AFP reported.

Images shared on social media at the time of the explosion indicated it could be heard from far away and that there were also flames.

A wide black crater is also visible in the images as well as several bodies on the ground nearby.

Turkey was hit by a string of deadly bombings between 2015 and 2017 by the Islamic State and outlawed Kurdish groups.

With inputs from agencies

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