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Istanbul’s dams were more than half full after several days of heavy rainfall drove a sharp recovery in reservoir levels, pushing the average occupancy rate to 52.43% as of Oct. 18, according to the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI).
The average fill rate climbed by 14.37 percentage points in four days, rising from 38.06% on Oct. 14. Rain began on the evening of Oct. 13 and intensified the following day, bringing substantial amounts of water into reservoirs supplying Türkiye's largest city.
Despite the sharp recovery, water levels varied widely across Istanbul's reservoirs, from just 3.58% at Pabucdere and 8.08% at Kazandere to 77.48% at Elmali. Darlik, Alibey, Istrancalar and Omerli recorded fill rates above 66%, while Buyukcekmece, Sazlidere and Terkos remained below 40%.
Rainfall recorded at the dams totaled 876.61 kilograms per square meter this year. Istanbul also received 572.12 million cubic meters of water from the Melen and Yesilcay systems, while drinking water treatment plants supplied the city with 918.02 million cubic meters.
The Oct. 18 occupancy rate of 52.43% was higher than in most of the past decade, though it remained below the levels recorded in 2017 and 2018, according to ISKI data.
The downpour was Istanbul's heaviest in decades, with Beykoz recording 277.1 kilograms of rain per square meter, its highest reading since 1942.
The rainfall was about four times the city's long-term October average of 66.3 millimeters, while Sariyer and Eyupsultan recorded 211.8 and 203.9 kilograms per square meter, respectively, according to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's disaster coordination center (AKOM).
Floodwaters inundated homes, businesses, roads and underpasses, leaving vehicles stranded and disrupting traffic. At least five people died in the flooding, while three others remained missing.
Municipal authorities received 9,755 reports of rain-related incidents, including flooding, overflowing drains, road collapses and fallen trees. Rescue teams evacuated 622 people stranded by the rising water.
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