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Torrential rains trigger flooding across İstanbul; child dies after electrocution in puddle
The city received nearly 100 millimeters of rainfall in just 12 hours, an amount typically associated with extreme rainfall over a 24-hour period.
Heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding across İstanbul, inundating homes, businesses, roads and underpasses.
The downpours, which began in the morning and continued intermittently, left vehicles stranded on flooded roads and caused damage in several districts.
A 14-year-old child died after being electrocuted while walking through a puddle in a park in the Fatih district, the governor's office announced later in the day. The child was taken to a hospital unconscious but later died.
A video circulating on social media shows the incident. The child is seen walking barefoot through the park, carrying his shoes in his hands, before suddenly collapsing.
Over 1,200 incidents of flooding
The governor's office said 1,277 incidents of flooding were recorded, in addition to 15 landslides and 47 stranded individuals. Emergency services received reports concerning 808 residences, 280 workplaces, and 76 vehicles.
İstanbul's acting mayor Nuri Aslan said the city received nearly 100 millimeters of rainfall in just 12 hours between 10 pm last night and 10 a today, an amount typically associated with extreme rainfall over a 24-hour period.
Speaking at the municipality's Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) in the Eyüpsultan district, Aslan said heavy rainfall would continue, shifting toward the Bosphorus and the Asian side and persisting in the eastern part of the city until the following morning.
"Do not leave your homes unless necessary. At certain times, winds will intensify to storm levels, potentially reaching speeds of 75 to 80 kilometers per hour," he said.
At least three people were injured in rain-related incidents, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
In Avcılar on the western outskirts of the city, a person was injured after slipping on the wet stairs of a pedestrian overpass. Emergency medical personnel provided first aid before taking the person to a hospital.
Two others were injured in the Anatolian-side district of Beykoz when the garden wall of a house collapsed during the rainfall.
In Eyüpsultan, a section of road outside the municipal building split open, leaving a large gap in the pavement and bringing traffic to a near standstill. Emergency crews secured the area and recovered a shuttle vehicle stranded on the damaged road.
Videos circulated on social media showed public transport buses flooded and underpasses filled with water in variuos locations. Some streets were covered with mud and in some locations, parked cars were swept away by floodwaters.
Homes and businesses flooded
The rainfall also caused flooding in residential and commercial areas across several districts.
In Kağıthane, vehicles became stranded on waterlogged roads, while shopkeepers worked to pump water out of flooded businesses.
In Sultangazi, floodwaters entered several homes and submerged vehicles. At one ground-floor apartment, the water level rose above the windows.
In Küçükçekmece, electricity was reportedly cut off at a building after water accumulated on the ground floor.
Manholes overflowed on a street in Şişli's İzzetpaşa neighborhood, making it difficult for pedestrians to cross. Emergency crews also worked to recover a vehicle stranded on flooded Sıracevizler Avenue.
Water accumulated inside the Sarıyer-Çayırbaşı Tunnel, slowing vehicles and causing traffic congestion.
Commuters caught in the downpour sought shelter at bus, metrobus, metro and tram stops, contributing to crowding on public transportation.
Public transport disrupted
Metro İstanbul announced service disruptions on several public transportation lines due to adverse weather conditions.
Services were suspended on the Maçka-Taşkışla and Eyüp-Piyer Loti cable car lines.
Operations on the T5 Eminönü-Alibeyköy tram line were also restricted, with trams running only between Eminönü and Eyüpsultan State Hospital stations.
The heavy rainfall also altered the appearance of parts of the Bosphorus, with coastal waters along the northern strait turning brown as muddy runoff from Sarıyer on the European side and Beykoz on the Asian side flowed into the water.
Traffic congestion reaches 89 percent
Rainfall combined with the evening rush hour brought traffic to a near standstill on most major roads across the city.
According to the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality's traffic congestion map, citywide congestion reached 89 percent during the evening hours.
Public transportation stops also became crowded as commuters faced delays during the evening rush hour. (VK)
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