Istanbul floods disrupt airports, strand passengers, suspend classes

Torrential rains battered Istanbul, leaving two people dead.

In the evening, a 34-year-old man slipped and fell while attempting to cross floodwaters that had inundated the Ayazaga neighbourhood in the Sariyer district, striking his head on the pavement. Bystanders rushed to help and pulled him out of the water. He was taken to hospital but died without regaining consciousness, despite efforts to save him, Turkish broadcaster A Haber reported, citing a statement from the Istanbul Governor’s Office.

An investigation into the incident has been launched, CE Report quotes BTA.

A 14-year-old boy was electrocuted after stepping into a puddle in Cukurbostan Park in the Balat neighbourhood of the Fatih district.

Torrential rain accompanied by strong winds over the past two days has brought life in Istanbul to a standstill, causing widespread disruption.

According to the governor’s office, more than 3,000 alerts have been received about flooding, landslides, fallen trees and collapsed utility poles, as well as flooded cars, homes and offices.

The torrential rain also caused major disruption to air traffic at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on the Asian side of the metropolis.

A total of 46 aircraft were unable to land in Istanbul and were diverted to other airports in Turkiye and abroad, BirGun reported.

Sabiha Gokcen Airport was closed to flights on Wednesday evening. Some aircraft circled overhead, while two were diverted to Bulgaria, one to Tehran and another to Athens.

Some flights resumed after midnight, but passengers due to travel have been advised to check in advance for possible changes to their flights.

While the heaviest rainfall during the day affected the European side of Istanbul, torrential downpours and strong winds spread to the Asian side of the metropolis in the evening.

Heavy rain flooded numerous homes and businesses, as well as streets, while underpasses and tunnels turned into lakes. Some vehicles were stranded on flooded roads, while others struggled to make their way through the water, Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber reported. People caught in the rain sought shelter at bus and metrobus stops, metro stations and tram stops, leading to overcrowding on public transport.

The heaviest rainfall was recorded in the Beykoz district and the outlying area of Omerli, where precipitation reached 193.84 litres per square metre.

A landslide triggered by the rain in Beykoz brought down an electricity pole. Torrential rain and strong winds in the Kadikoy district disrupted metrobus traffic, causing long queues of cars to form.

Vehicles and several underpasses were flooded in the Umraniye district.

In Sariyer, passengers trapped aboard a city bus climbed onto its roof while waiting to be rescued. Similar incidents were reported in other districts.

Footage broadcast by the Dogan Haber news agency showed people being rescued from flooded neighbourhoods by excavators.

By order of the Istanbul Governor’s Office, schools across the city and ten universities have suspended classes for Thursday.

People with disabilities, pregnant women, mothers with children and other eligible employees in public institutions have been granted administrative leave.

Conditions have also deteriorated in the cities of Kocaeli, Sakarya and Yalova, which are part of the Marmara region.

Classes have been cancelled in these cities, and civil servants facing difficulties due to the severe weather have been granted administrative leave, Milliyet reported.

According to the Disaster Coordination Centre, the situation remains difficult. A crisis management centre has been set up.

Rescue teams comprising more than 8,000 personnel, supported by over 2,000 specialized vehicles and machines, have been mobilized to deal with the aftermath of the severe weather. A ban on motorcycles and all other two-wheeled vehicles has been in force since Wednesday evening. Istanbul Governor Davut Gul urged residents in a statement to the media to stay indoors and avoid using their private cars.

The extent of the damage has yet to be assessed. Rain is expected to continue on Thursday and through the end of the week.

Photo: X/video