A significant rainfall in Istanbul has caused the city to come to a standstill, leading to flooded roads and residences, and resulting in the tragic deaths of at least three individuals, authorities revealed on Thursday. The heavy downpour on Wednesday submerged houses and commercial establishments, as well as overwhelmed roads and tunnels, trapping vehicles and triggering traffic disruptions in Turkey’s largest metropolis. One car owner was seen searching for his vehicle swept away by floodwaters in Istanbul’s Ayazağa district.
According to the Istanbul governor’s office, three fatalities were confirmed in the city, with four other individuals reported missing. Reports from local media indicated that a 14-year-old was fatally electrocuted after stepping into a puddle at a park in the Fatih district, while a 34-year-old slipped on a sidewalk in the Sariyer district, sustaining a fatal head injury. The body of a third victim was found near a park in the Kagithane district. Images show vehicles strewn across the city in the aftermath of the rainfall.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi disclosed that over 2,700 people stranded by the floods were successfully rescued across Istanbul. Additionally, Turkey’s weather agency has forecasted continued showers for Istanbul and its vicinity in the upcoming days. A woman was photographed walking across a ladder placed over floodwaters in Istanbul, illustrating the extent of the flooding. A drone view captured partially submerged trucks on a flooded street, while another image showed a creek overflowing post-heavy rainfall in Istanbul, highlighting the severity of the situation.