Southwesterly winds shook western and northwestern Turkey over the weekend and yesterday, killing eight people in weather-related accidents. Strong winds coupled with occasional rainfall affected cities all across the west over the last three days. In Istanbul, a road between Büyükçekmece Lake in the city's west and the Marmara Sea partially collapsed as it was battered by giant waves triggered by winds, bringing traffic from Istanbul to the northwestern border city Edirne to a halt for hours. Also in Istanbul, ferry services connecting the city to the provinces of Yalova and Bandırma were cancelled, along with ferry services across Haliç and the Golden Horn.In Edirne province on the border with Greece, two bridges connecting neighborhoods in central Edirne, were closed down as two rivers overflowed their banks due to heavy precipitation. Stranded residents were rescued by troops.Winds claimed eight lives in several cities as they tore off roofs, knocked down cranes and caused carbon monoxide poisoning in houses with poor ventilation. In Bursa, a northwestern city, a tall crane at the construction site for a new stadium fell on a passing taxi, killing the driver. Also in Bursa, in provinces of Çanakkale and Balıkesir, three men were killed when winds knocked them off the roofs they were repairing. In the western province of Afyon, three siblings between the ages of 11 and 16 died of carbon monoxide poisoning from the stove in their poorly-ventilated house while their mother was hospitalized. In Kırklareli, a border province in the northwest, a Pakistani illegal immigrant was found frozen to death while he was attempting to cross into Bulgaria. Weather forecasts for the week predict winds and rainfall in the country's west until Wednesday.