Four people were killed and 38 injured in a powerful explosion, the source of which is not yet known, on the busy Istiklal Street in the heart of Istanbul.
The explosion occurred shortly after 16:00 (13:00 GMT), at a time when the crowd of pedestrians was dense on Istiklal Street, the Turkish TV channel reported.
Footage published by the channel showed the deployment of relief teams and the police in the place that was cleared of pedestrians.
In pictures spread on social media about the moment of the explosion, flames appear in the distance, with a loud sound in the midst of panic among passersby.
A large black hole is also visible in these images, as well as a number of people lying on the ground nearby.
The Public Prosecution has launched investigations into the accident, while an official statement has not yet been issued regarding the nature of the explosion.
Istiklal Street was targeted in a series of terrorist attacks in 2015 and 2016. The terrorist organization ISIS claimed responsibility for these attacks, which killed about 500 people and wounded more than 2,000 people.
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