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Three people have died in Istanbul after torrential rainfall triggered widespread flooding across Türkiye's largest city on Wednesday, Oct. 14, leaving vehicles stranded, homes submerged and dozens of flights diverted, while authorities suspended classes and urged residents to stay indoors.
The severe weather continued into Thursday, Oct. 15, prompting school closures in six provinces, including Istanbul, as emergency crews worked to clear flooded roads, respond to landslides and assist residents trapped by rising water.
According to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), rainfall reached 242 millimeters in Beykoz, one of the highest levels recorded in the city since 1985. Eyupsultan received 190.5 mm, while Sariyer recorded 187.9 mm.
The municipality received 6,937 emergency reports, while the Istanbul Governor's Office separately recorded 1,277 flooding incidents, 15 landslides and 47 cases of people becoming stranded during Wednesday's rainfall.
The death toll from Istanbul's devastating floods rose to three on Thursday after authorities discovered a body near Sadabad Park in Kagithane's Merkez neighborhood.
According to local media reports, the unidentified person had gone missing in Sariyer and was believed to have been carried by floodwaters into Kagithane. Efforts to establish the victim's identity are ongoing.
In Istanbul's historic Fatih district, a 14-year-old identified as M.I. died after suffering an electric shock when stepping into a puddle at Cukurbostan Park in Balat.
The Istanbul Governor's Office confirmed that the child was taken to a hospital unconscious but could not be saved despite medical intervention. An investigation has begun, though officials have not yet officially determined the source of the electrical current.
A third fatality was reported in Sariyer, where a 34-year-old identified as S.Y. lost his balance while attempting to cross a flooded road and struck his head against a curb. He later died in the hospital.
Flooding also swept through residential neighborhoods in Esenyurt, Beykoz, Kucukcekmece and Sariyer, where residents struggled with submerged streets and stranded vehicles.
In Esenyurt, bystanders rescued a woman who was carried away by floodwaters, while residents in Beykoz helped an elderly person escape a flooded home.
Heavy rainfall caused the Kagithane Stream to overflow, inundating the historic Sadabad Mosque and its grounds. Water entered the prayer hall and covered the lower section of the pulpit, while nearby workshops and outbuildings were also flooded.
Severe winds and heavy rainfall disrupted operations at Istanbul's two major airports.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reported that 43 aircraft unable to land at Istanbul Airport were diverted to alternative airports, including 39 flights redirected within Türkiye and four sent abroad.
Operations at Sabiha Gokcen Airport were also temporarily interrupted because of strong winds and wind shear, a sudden change in wind speed or direction that can affect aircraft during takeoff and landing. Flight operations resumed at 10:02 p.m. Wednesday.
Flooding also affected metro stations, underpasses and major roads, including the Sile Highway near Cekmekoy, where traffic toward Umraniye was temporarily redirected to a service road.
However, public transportation began recovering Thursday morning.
Metro Istanbul announced that normal operations had resumed on the T3 Kadikoy-Moda and T1 Kabatas-Bagcilar tram lines, along with the M9 Atakoy-Olimpiyat metro line, following weather-related disruptions.
Authorities suspended education on Thursday in Istanbul, Duzce, Zonguldak, Sakarya, Kocaeli and Yalova because of continued severe weather conditions.
Several universities in Istanbul also suspended in-person classes or switched to online education, while some public employees were granted administrative leave.
Authorities introduced restrictions on motorcycles, scooters, and similar two-wheeled vehicles in Istanbul and Yalova.
Emergency response operations continued across the affected areas, with officials reporting that more than 8,000 personnel and 2,000 vehicles and pieces of machinery had been deployed in Istanbul.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul urged residents, particularly those living in basement apartments, to move to safer upper floors and avoid streambeds, underpasses and flood-prone areas.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) warned that further rainfall could affect the Asian side of the city and areas around the Bosphorus, with additional precipitation of 50 to 75 mm forecast in some districts by 10:00 a.m. Thursday.
Authorities advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel, use public transportation where possible and follow official weather warnings.
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