ISTANBUL, Türkiye — The death toll from severe flash floods in Istanbul has risen to four, with three people still missing, authorities announced on Friday, as the city launched recovery operations following its heaviest rainfall in decades.
Speaking to reporters in the hard-hit Ayazaga neighbourhood of Sariyer district, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed the updated death toll and described the disaster as Istanbul’s worst flooding since 1942.
“We are talking here about the highest level of precipitation in Istanbul since records began in 1942,” Istanbul Governor Davut Gul said.
Search and rescue teams recovered the body of a 66-year-old man from beneath a bridge over a creek in Ayazaga, the Hurriyet newspaper reported on its website.
The death toll had earlier risen to three after authorities found a man’s body near a park in the Kagithane area on Istanbul’s European side, Gul’s office said in a statement.
The storm also claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy who was electrocuted after stepping into a puddle in the Balat area. He was rushed to hospital, but medical personnel were unable to save him, officials said.
Authorities said three people remained missing as search operations continued.
As floodwaters receded across most districts, recovery work took centre stage in the city of nearly 16 million people. Residents and municipal crews were clearing thick mud and sludge from flooded homes, while teams continued pumping water out of submerged basements, broadcaster NTV reported.
Power outages persisted in several areas, with Ayazaga remaining completely without electricity. Utility crews worked to clear blocked storm drains, while insurance assessors began evaluating extensive damage to properties and vehicles, according to live footage from the affected areas.
The devastating floods followed intense downpours in the middle of the week, with rainfall reaching as much as 272 kilograms per square metre in some parts of the city. The deluge disrupted urban transport and left residents stranded in buildings and on major roads, prompting emergency crews to rescue more than 3,000 people.
The Turkish State Meteorological Service warned that further heavy rainfall was expected to hit the region on Saturday, raising concerns about renewed flooding as recovery operations continued.
SOURCE : AGENCIES | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
