A severe rainfall in Istanbul has caused the city to come to a standstill, leading to flooding in streets and homes and claiming the lives of at least three individuals, as confirmed by authorities on Thursday. The torrential rain that occurred on Wednesday resulted in flooded residences and commercial establishments, along with submerged streets and tunnels, trapping vehicles and creating traffic disruptions in Turkey’s most populous city.
In one incident, a vehicle owner was seen searching for his car that had been swept away by the flood in Istanbul’s Ayazağa district. The Istanbul governor’s office reported three fatalities in the city, with four individuals still missing. Tragically, a 14-year-old was fatally electrocuted after stepping into a puddle in a park in the Fatih district, while a 34-year-old slipped on a sidewalk in the Sariyer district and suffered a fatal head injury. The body of a third victim was found near another park in the Kagithane district.
Images captured in the aftermath of the rainfall in Istanbul depict scattered vehicles amidst the floodwaters. Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi stated that over 2,700 individuals who were stranded due to the floods were successfully rescued across the city. Aerial views show trucks partially submerged on flooded streets, emphasizing the extent of the flooding in Istanbul.
Moreover, a creek overflowed following the heavy rainfall, as seen in a video from social media verified by Reuters. The Turkish meteorological agency has forewarned of further showers expected in Istanbul and its neighboring regions in the upcoming days.