A 14-year-old boy has died after being electrocuted during severe Istanbul floods, as torrential rain inundated hundreds of homes, collapsed sections of road and brought traffic across Turkiye’s largest city close to a standstill.
The boy was taken to hospital unconscious after stepping into a puddle in the Balat area of the Fatih district. He died despite efforts to save him, the Istanbul governor’s office said, adding that an investigation had been opened.
Surveillance footage showed the teenager walking through water at the entrance to a car park before suddenly collapsing. The incident happened as heavy rain swept through the city from Tuesday evening onwards.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul urged residents to remain at home unless travel was essential. People living in basement flats were advised to spend the night on higher floors and to avoid creek beds, underpasses and other areas vulnerable to flooding.
Schools across Istanbul were closed on Thursday and motorcycles were banned from the roads. State employees with disabilities and mothers with young children were also placed on leave, while the motorcycle restriction remained in force until further notice.
Flooding disrupts roads and public services
Water submerged roads and underpasses in districts including Esenyurt and Sultangazi, leaving vehicles stranded and flooding homes, shops and basements. Sections of road collapsed in Eyupsultan and Gaziosmanpasa.
Emergency services received more than 2,500 reports linked to the weather. Authorities recorded 1,277 floods and 15 landslides, while 47 people were left stranded.
More than 800 homes, 280 businesses and 76 vehicles were affected. Floodwater also reached two hospitals and poured through the ceiling of Haciosman metro station.
In Sultangazi, a retaining wall at a primary school collapsed while pupils were inside their classrooms. No injuries were reported among the students.
A woman was rescued by passers-by after floodwater swept her along in Esenyurt, according to local reports. Traffic density reached about 90 per cent during the evening rush hour, although flights were operating normally.
The heaviest rainfall was recorded in the Omerli area of Beykoz on Istanbul’s Asian side, where nearly 194mm fell. Acting mayor Nuri Aslan said some parts of the city received almost 100mm within 12 hours.
About 8,000 personnel, supported by 2,000 vehicles and construction machines, were deployed across the city, which is home to about 16 million people. Turkiye’s Interior Ministry warned of the risk of sudden flooding in several provinces.
