Three Dead, Thousands Evacuated

ISTANBUL — Major flooding in Istanbul, Türkiye, has killed at least three people and forced mass evacuations across the city, as of Thursday (15/10/2026). Heavy rain that began Tuesday (13/10/2026) intensified Wednesday, submerging roads, homes, and businesses in the metropolis of around 16 million people.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said 2,727 people had been evacuated, while three to four people were reported missing. The Istanbul governor's office received more than 2,500 weather-related emergency reports, with 808 homes, 280 businesses, and 76 vehicles affected, plus 15 landslides.

The first victim was a 14-year-old boy, identified only as M.I., who was electrocuted after stepping into floodwater at Çukur Bostan Park in the Balat area of the Fatih district on Wednesday evening. He was taken to hospital unconscious but could not be saved. The second victim was a 34-year-old man who slipped while trying to cross a flooded street in Ayazağa, Sarıyer — he struck his head and died in hospital. A third body was found near a stream in Kağıthane on Thursday, and identification was continuing.

Schools Closed, Flights Diverted

Istanbul Governor Davut Gül ordered all schools closed through Friday (16/10/2026), banned motorcycles from the roads, and urged residents to stay home unless travel was essential. People living in basement apartments were told to move to higher floors and avoid underpasses and creek beds as more rain was forecast.

The heaviest rainfall reached 273.1 millimeters in Beykoz on the Asian side, while Sarıyer and Eyüpsultan each recorded more than 200 millimeters. At Istanbul Airport, 51 incoming flights were diverted and 19 arrivals and departures were canceled.

The emergency response involved 8,392 personnel and 2,246 vehicles and heavy machines. AFAD, firefighters, Coast Guard personnel, and municipal teams used boats to evacuate people trapped at businesses along Kemerburgaz Street in Ayazağa. Official investigations into the first two deaths have been opened.