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Türkiye has issued new heavy rain and storm warnings for 45 provinces, including Istanbul, as the country faces another round of severe weather following deadly floods that left five people dead and three missing.
The Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) issued orange alerts for Istanbul, Kocaeli, Yalova, Sakarya and Bursa, while 40 other provinces were placed under yellow alerts on Saturday.
Authorities warned that rainfall could intensify across Istanbul from midday, particularly on the Asian side, where very heavy downpours and thunderstorms are expected to continue into the night.
The warnings come as emergency teams continue searching for three missing people and carrying out cleanup operations in areas affected by flooding earlier this week.
According to the latest meteorological forecasts, heavy rainfall is expected across eastern Marmara, the Aegean, Mediterranean, Central Anatolian and western Black Sea regions, with particularly severe conditions forecast for northern Istanbul and the city's Asian side.
Meteorologist Orhan Sen warned that even rainfall considerably lighter than Wednesday's downpour could pose a danger because debris from the earlier floods has not yet been fully cleared away.
Sen said rainfall would intensify on Istanbul's Asian side after midday and continue into the evening, with precipitation potentially reaching 100 kilograms per square meter, equivalent to 100 millimeters of rainfall.
He added that the risk on the European side was expected to ease after midnight, while conditions on the Asian side could remain dangerous until Sunday morning.
Severe rainfall is also forecast for Kocaeli, Sakarya, Yalova, Bursa and parts of the western Black Sea region. Strong winds reaching 50 to 70 kilometers per hour (31 to 43 miles per hour), occasionally increasing to 80 kilometers per hour, could disrupt transportation and damage rooftops.
Authorities have urged residents to remain alert for flash floods, landslides, lightning and localized flooding.
The renewed warnings follow heavy rainfall that began on Wednesday, triggering widespread flooding across Istanbul and neighboring provinces.
According to the latest figures provided in the report, five people have died and three remain missing. The rainfall reached 273 kilograms per square meter in some areas, with the event described as the most intense in 84 years.
Among those killed was 66-year-old Turgut Dursun, whose body was recovered beneath a bridge in Istanbul's Ayazaga neighborhood. In neighboring Kocaeli province, former village head Mustafa Gedikli was also found dead after being swept away by floodwaters.
Cleanup operations continued Saturday in Ayazaga, one of Istanbul's hardest-hit neighborhoods, where gendarmerie personnel and volunteers from Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) worked to clear mud and debris from flooded homes and businesses.
In a separate rescue operation in Istanbul's Eyupsultan district, gendarmerie teams used boats to evacuate 65 people trapped inside a cafe after floodwaters surrounded the building.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul announced that authorities would begin demolishing structures obstructing a streambed in Ayazaga to allow flood prevention and waterway improvement work to move forward.
The affected structures include a Quran course facility, a sports complex and shops. Gul said alternative arrangements would be made to avoid leaving residents and facility users without essential services.
He also confirmed that more than 5,000 flood-affected residents had received initial emergency payments of ₺10,000 (over $201) each. Additional compensation, based on damage assessments and AFAD criteria, is expected to be distributed from Monday.
Although Gul said another exceptionally heavy rainfall event was not expected over the weekend, he warned that waterlogged soil could increase the risk of landslides and structural damage.
Schools in Istanbul are expected to resume classes on Monday, while emergency teams continue working to restore electricity and clear affected buildings.
Meanwhile, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas said her ministry had allocated emergency assistance to flood-hit provinces and was providing temporary accommodation and psychological support to affected residents.
Authorities urged the public to follow official weather warnings as recovery operations continue alongside preparations for further rainfall.
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