Heavy rain floods Istanbul, a 14-year-old boy dies after electric shock in a puddle

Flooding across Istanbul

Heavy rain fell on Istanbul on Wednesday, 14 October, and flooded streets, underpasses and low-lying homes across many districts of the city. Anadolu, the state news agency, reported that cars were left stranded on submerged roads and that landslides hit several neighbourhoods. The heaviest rainfall was recorded in the Ömerli area of Beykoz, on the Asian side of the city. Water also entered ground-floor and basement flats in some districts. Traffic in the evening rush hour came to an almost complete standstill.

Casualties and emergency calls

A 14-year-old boy died in the Fatih district on the European side after he was struck by an electric shock in a puddle. The governor's office said on X that he was taken to hospital but could not be saved, and that an investigation had been opened. The office also reported that more than 1,000 emergency calls had come in by the evening, covering flooding, landslides and fallen trees. Daily Sabah reported 1,277 flooding incidents and said 47 people were trapped. The same report gives 15 landslides in one passage and 47 in another, so the landslide count remains unclear. Rescue crews were also called to vehicles stuck on flooded roads.

Damage to homes, businesses and vehicles

The governor's office said it had received reports concerning 808 homes, 280 businesses and 76 vehicles. It also logged 13 fallen trees and two damaged roofs.

Emergency teams responded to the flooding, and in some areas residents trapped by the water were rescued with excavators, according to Turkiye Today as reported by Blick. Authorities said measures were being taken to bring the consequences of the storm under control. A section of the Eyüp Sultan Boulevard, an important road on the European side, collapsed, the same outlet reported. Photos and videos posted on social media show cars swept away by fast-moving water.

Forecast and school closures

Authorities said rain was expected to continue until Thursday afternoon, 15 October. Governor Davut Gül suspended in-person classes in Istanbul for Thursday. Blick reported that schools in many affected regions in Greece and Turkey were cancelled for Thursday for safety reasons. The closures followed a day in which the flooding disrupted travel and daily life across the city.

Greek islands hit by the same storms

Flooding also hit the Aegean. On the Greek holiday island of Rhodes, streets flooded and buildings were damaged on Wednesday, according to Bild as reported by Blick. Several flights were diverted. On Skiathos, floodwaters swept cars away. On Euboea, numerous trees fell, rivers overflowed their banks and roads were washed away. Tourists in the region were also affected on Wednesday.