Turkiye’s interior minister confirmed four deaths in Istanbul’s worst flooding since 1942, with 46,000 personnel deployed for cleanup and further rain warnings issued.
Catastrophic flooding in Istanbul has resulted in four deaths, marking the worst flood disaster in the city since 1942, according to Turkiye’s interior minister. The deluge, which struck on Wednesday night, brought more rainfall in 48 hours than the combined historical average for September and October, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
The death toll rose to four on Friday after the body of a 66-year-old man was found under a bridge in Istanbul’s Sariyer district. Three other deaths had been previously reported, including a teenager who was electrocuted during the storm. Before the discovery of the final body, Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci stated that four people remained missing.
The flooding caused widespread destruction across the city of 16 million residents. Homes and businesses were inundated, streets and parks were covered in water, and vehicles were washed away, with many piling up at the bottom of hills. Ciftci reported 9,850 reports of damage and other flood-related issues. He noted that 46,000 personnel were deployed to clean up debris and assist residents.
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci visited the hardest-hit areas, including the Ayazaga neighborhood in Sariyer. "We are trying our best to help our citizens, but we are also experiencing the biggest flood disaster since 1942," Ciftci said.
Murat Kurum, the minister for the environment, urbanization and climate change, accompanied Ciftci and addressed concerns that urban development near waterways exacerbated the flooding. Kurum stated that dealing with the problem was "essential." He also linked the extreme weather to climate change, noting, "Combating climate change is not a choice, but a necessity." Kurum is scheduled to chair the UN climate change conference, COP31, next month in Antalya.
Following the initial deluge, the General Directorate of Meteorology issued warnings for "heavy and intense" rainfall in Istanbul and four nearby provinces over the weekend. Residents in Ayazağa described the rain beginning lightly before a stream upstream burst its banks, sending a sudden torrent through the neighborhood. The flooding disrupted essential services, leaving some households without electricity, running water, or natural gas. Authorities cut power and gas supplies in some areas as a precaution.
The flooding highlights the vulnerability of Istanbul’s infrastructure to extreme weather events, with officials citing the worst rainfall in over 80 years. The incident underscores the ongoing debate regarding urban planning and climate resilience in major metropolitan areas, as government officials link the severity of the disaster to broader climate change effects.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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