The cause of the explosion is not yet known. There have been several terrorist attacks on Istiklal Street in recent years.
16:51•Updated 17:01
Several people have died and dozens have been injured in an explosion in Istanbul, news agencies say. According to the city’s governor, there would be four dead and 38 injured.
The explosion happened on Sunday afternoon in Istiklal, one of Istanbul’s most popular streets. The cause of the explosion is unknown.
Pictures and videos have spread on social media, showing a wide hole torn into the street. The area has been cleared of people.
In Turkey, the media monitoring authority has banned the country’s media from broadcasting videos of the explosion and its aftermath. Similar temporary bans have been imposed in the past after terrorist attacks.
The lively Istiklal street has plenty of shops and restaurants. The extreme Islamist Isis organization and Kurdish guerrillas have bombed Istiklal several times between 2015 and 2017.
Sources: AP, AFP, Reuters