Torrential Rain in Istanbul Caused Flash Flood in the District of Ikitelli

A total of 32 people died in the flood, 7 in Tekirdağ and 24 in Istanbul.

Due to heavy rainfalls in Istanbul during the night and early morning of 9 September the Ikitelli Expressway was submerged in water.

As soon as the torrential rain had decreased rescue operations started. 20 bodies were recovered from the water, some people drowned in their cars. The number of casualties might still increase. Hundreds of people climbed onto the roof of their cars to wait for their rescue.

In Başkaşehir many houses were inundated. The Trans European Motorway (TEM) and the E-5 motorway were closed to traffic. Officials warned the Istanbul residents to stay inside the house.

 Başakşehir'de çok sayıda evi de su bastı; TEM ve E-5 karayolu Silivri istikameti trafiğe kapandı. Yetkililer, İstanbulluları dışarı çıkmamaları konusunda uyarıyor.

The heavy rain caused many traffic accidents. On TEM the car of commercial taxi driver Mehmet Öz broke down. When Öz got off the car at the side of the road a truck hit him. Öz died on the spot. The truck driver and the truck's plate could not be confirmed yet.

The General Directorate of the Prime Ministry Turkey Emergency Management announced that 7 people were killed by the floods in Thrace since yesterday (8 September) and 13 were injured. Three people are still missing and the search continues.

More rain forecasted for Istanbul

Governor Muammer Güler spoke of the worst natural disaster experienced in the last years and said the heavy rainfalls are expected to continue tomorrow.

"10 helicopters conducted rescue operations from the air. The specialized helicopters were equipped to search and rescue and to serve as ambulances and KEŞIF. In Çatalca, Silivri and rural areas stranded people were rescued by boat. In Selimpaşa by the sea 3 buildings within a compound were destroyed, 800 houses were inundated. In Silivri 900 houses were flooded, 8 schools, a state hospital, a health clinic and sports facilities were affected by the water. 8 vehicles were caught in the flood and 20 boats sank."

Güler compared the statistics: "Last year in the entire month of September we had 44 kilograms per square meter of rain, the average for this month is 35 kilogram. Only yesterday and today we had 220 kilograms of rain".

Limited sea traffic

Due to heavy weather conditions the Istanbul Sea Busses from Bostancı and Yenikapı to the Marmara Island and the island of Avşa were cancelled this morning.

AKOM dependant on television footage

For crises within the Istanbul city boundaries officials of the Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) have installed cameras in order to follow up the images and determine the dimensions of the disaster. According to Milliyet newspaper, AKOM did not succeed this time because the number of cameras in the cities of Silivri and Çatalca was insufficient.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality used to have three helicopters to investigate the situation in places without cameras. It turned out that the contract for the helicopters had not been renewed this year for financial reasons. The Authorities kept track of the disaster by watching the footage of Doğan News Agency on television. (EZÖ/VK)