Istanbul Records Highest Rainfall in 83 Years; Four Missing

Unprecedented rainfall has struck Istanbul, described by Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum as the highest in 83 years, with rainfall quantities reaching approximately 273 kilograms by the time of his statement, causing widespread flooding that affected multiple neighborhoods in the city.

Kurum conducted a field tour of the Ayazağa area in the Sarıyer district, one of the hardest-hit areas, alongside Interior Minister Mustafa Çavuşoğlu, where they witnessed the extent of damage to the lower floors of many buildings. The minister confirmed that all state agencies deployed to the field from the initial hours of the disaster, under direct coordination and supervised by the governor, with the participation of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent, and all security units and local administrations.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çavuşoğlu revealed that approximately 46,000 personnel are deployed in the field, and that emergency centers received 9,850 documented reports. Search operations remain ongoing for four missing citizens, while it was determined that one person reported missing was safe but his phone had run out of battery.