A four-storey apartment building in Istanbul collapsed after torrential rain washed away the ground beneath it.

Debris was spread across a large adjacent construction site when the foundations slid away and the building collapsed into a ditch.

The building, in the Beyoglu district, took several hours to fall, allowing police and firefighters to evacuate the building and cordon off the surrounding area.

Other nearby buildings were also cleared, the Hürriyet Daily News, reported, and there were no casualties.

Spectators, officials and local photographers watched as the building slowly collapsed.

Authorities were warned about a hotel construction taking place next to the apartment block, Emin Erturk, owner of the block, said.