Heavy rain floods Istanbul for a second day, killing at least two and shutting schools
A second day of severe rain has kept much of Istanbul under disruption, with flooding reported in homes, roads and underpasses across the city. At least two people have now been killed, according to the supplied reports, as emergency crews continued working through the night to help people stranded at workplaces and in flooded areas. The weather has affected Turkey's largest city at a time when officials say some locations recorded their highest rainfall since 1985.
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The latest confirmed deaths include a 14-year-old who was electrocuted after stepping into a puddle in the Fatih district and a 34-year-old who slipped on a sidewalk in the Sariyer district and hit their head. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said some areas had seen the heaviest rain in decades, while the governor's office ordered schools to close on Thursday and said some state employees would be placed on leave. Residents were also told to stay home unless travel was absolutely necessary, and people living in basement apartments were advised to spend the night elsewhere.
The flooding has caused traffic chaos and left vehicles stranded as water inundated roads and underpasses. Homes and businesses were also affected, adding to the pressure on emergency services already dealing with a large number of weather-related incidents. The disruption is significant because Istanbul is a major transport and economic hub, and even short-lived flooding can quickly affect schools, workplaces and public services across the city.
The incident also highlights the vulnerability of densely built urban areas to intense rainfall and surface flooding. Istanbul's size and concentration of infrastructure mean that heavy downpours can overwhelm drainage systems and spread disruption far beyond the worst-hit neighbourhoods. The response from city and provincial authorities suggests the event is being treated as a broad public safety issue rather than a localised weather problem.
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Earlier reports from the same developing situation said the rain began on Wednesday night into Thursday and that rescuers worked overnight to save hundreds of people stranded at their workplaces. Officials had already suspended classes and restricted some movement as the weather emergency continued. The governor's office also said people in basement flats should move to higher floors overnight, reflecting concern about further flooding in low-lying areas.
What remains unclear is the full scale of damage to homes, businesses and transport links, and whether the death toll will rise further. It is also not yet clear how long the school closures and leave arrangements for some state employees will remain in place. The next developments to watch are the extent of the clean-up, any further rainfall and whether officials issue additional restrictions or damage assessments.
Torrential rain has flooded large parts of Istanbul, killing a 14-year-old boy and causing widespread disruption across Turkiye's largest city. Roads collapsed in some districts, hospitals took in water and traffic was brought close to a standstill as floodwater spread through streets, underpasses and low-lying areas. Authorities also suspended classes and restricted motorcycles as the weather emergency continued.
The boy died after stepping into floodwater in the Balat area of the Fatih district, according to the Istanbul governor's office. Officials said he was taken to hospital unconscious but could not be saved, and an investigation has been opened into the incident. The governor, Davut Gul, urged residents to stay at home unless travel was necessary and told people in basement flats to move to higher floors overnight.
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The governor's office suspended classes across the city for Thursday and banned motorcycles from the roads until further notice. State employees with disabilities and mothers with young children were also placed on leave. Emergency services were dealing with a large number of incidents, with local reports saying more than 2,500 weather-related calls were received and that 1,277 floods and 15 landslides were recorded.
The flooding matters because Istanbul is home to about 16 million people and is a major transport and economic hub. When heavy rain overwhelms drainage systems there, the effects quickly spread beyond individual neighbourhoods to schools, roads, businesses and public services. The disruption also highlights the vulnerability of densely built urban areas to sudden rainfall and surface flooding.
According to the supplied reports, the rain began on Tuesday evening after warnings from Turkiye's weather service. The Interior Ministry warned of sudden flooding in several provinces, while around 8,000 personnel, together with vehicles and construction machines, were deployed in Istanbul. Reports also said more than 800 homes, 280 businesses and 76 vehicles were affected, and that sections of road collapsed in the Eyupsultan and Gaziosmanpasa districts.
What remains unclear is the full scale of the damage and whether the death in Balat will lead to any further findings about the circumstances of the electrocution. Officials have not yet given a final total for the number of people displaced or injured, and the situation may continue to change as crews respond to flooded streets and damaged infrastructure. The next developments to watch are the outcome of the investigation, any extension of restrictions and whether further rain triggers more disruption.
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