In brief
Istanbul is grappling with the heaviest rainfall in eight decades, leading to two fatalities and hundreds of rescues. The deluge, amounting to a seventh of the annual rainfall, shut schools, grounded flights, and flooded roads. City leaders urged residents to stay home, expanded metro hours, and dispatched over 8,000 workers to address the crisis. The incident highlights urgent needs for improved urban drainage and climate‑resilient infrastructure in Turkey’s largest megacity.
Two people were killed in Istanbul after the city experienced the heaviest rainfall in 84 years, authorities say.
A 14‑year‑old boy died when he was electrocuted stepping into a puddle, while a 34‑year‑old man was crushed by a falling head after slipping on the wet road.
Nearly 600 residents were rescued after becoming stranded in water‑logged streets and cars were submerged in several districts, the deputy mayor of Istanbul confirmed. The mayor’s office warned residents to stay home unless it was absolutely necessary.
The interior ministry noted that the rain delivered about one‑seventh of the region’s yearly average in a single day, prompting school closures and airport disruptions that grounded 46 flights.
City officials urged citizens to use public transport and expanded metro operating hours to 02:00 local time, while more than 8,000 workers were deployed to combat the flooding.
Emergency leave was granted to disabled, pregnant and veteran staff, and to women in the public sector with children under eight, according to Ankara’s instructions. The situation underscores the urgent need for better urban drainage and climate‑resilient infrastructure in Turkey’s largest megacity.
