Three dead and 2,700 evacuated as heavy rainfall and floods shut down Istanbul

Thursday, 15 October 2026 15:26

Three people have died and 2,700 evacuated as heavy rainfall and floods have shut down Istanbul.

A 14-year-old was electrocuted after stepping in a puddle, and a 34-year-old slipped on a footpath and hit their head, officials said. The body of a third person was discovered near another park in the Kagithane district.

Schools have closed and residents have been advised to stay home except for necessary travel. Rescuers worked overnight on Wednesday to save people trapped at their workplaces.

More than 2,700 people who were stranded by the floods were safely evacuated throughout the city, Turkey's interior minister Mustafa Ciftci said.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said some areas had the highest amount of rain since 1985.

Heavy rain was still falling on Thursday morning, with more showers predicted for the coming days.

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Mr Ciftci said 272mm of rain had fallen in some areas, and disaster and emergency agencies were "working in the field".

"Our state continues its efforts with all its resources to ensure the safety of our citizens and to meet their needs," he said in a post on X.

Acknowledging the deaths in Istanbul, he said: "We are deeply saddened."

The downpour flooded businesses and homes, inundated roads and underpasses and brought traffic to a standstill.

Pictures from Istanbul show streets transformed into rivers, cars and trucks washed away and pedestrians hunched under umbrellas.

In Sakarya province, around 93 miles (150km) east of Istanbul, a two-story house that was built on a riverbed collapsed in the floods, HaberTurk television reported.

Residents living in basement flats have been advised to spend the night elsewhere.

Motorcycles have been banned from the roads.

Sky News