The key facts

  • The death toll from floods in Istanbul has reached four people
  • On Wednesday, 261 mm of precipitation per square meter fell — a record in the city's modern history
  • Over three days, 3,057 people were evacuated; classes were suspended in five provinces

Victims and circumstances of death

The death toll from floods caused by heavy and continuous rains in Istanbul, Turkey, has reached four people. According to the Anadolu agency, one of the victims worked at a school construction site in the Beykoz district. He lost his balance and fell into a well that had filled with water while trying to drain it. The man was taken to a hospital, but doctors could not save his life.

Scale of precipitation and evacuation

Over the past three days, rescue services evacuated 3,057 people and took them to safe places. Istanbul Governor Davut Gül reported that on Wednesday, 261 millimeters of precipitation per square meter was recorded in the city — the highest figure in the city's modern history. On Thursday, heavy rain continued in some districts.

Forecast and impact on other regions

Meteorologists predict that starting from Friday, heavy precipitation is expected again in Istanbul, and on Saturday its amount may reach 60 millimeters per square meter. Heavy precipitation also affected other regions of Turkey: in addition to Istanbul, classes were suspended in educational institutions in the provinces of Zonguldak, Yalova, Kocaeli, Düzce, and Sakarya.