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Istanbul Governor Davut Gül announced that the city had recorded its highest precipitation levels since meteorological measurements started in 1942, with some districts receiving more than 260 kilograms of rain per square metre. A 14-year-old boy was electrocuted after stepping into a puddle in the Fatih district while a 34-year-old man died after slipping and hitting his head in floodwaters in another area, according to the governorship. Three other people were injured but listed in stable condition as emergency services worked through the night.[[1]](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq398x7j1lrwo)
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi reported that 2,727 people had been safely evacuated from flooded locations with more than 46,000 personnel, 2,288 vehicles and 14 boats mobilised across the region. The ministry received nearly 10,000 emergency calls in affected provinces, of which 8,815 came from Istanbul where teams verified and responded to more than 6,700 incidents. Çiftçi noted that search and rescue operations remained active at 14 sites while shelters were opened in all 39 districts for residents needing accommodation.[[2]](https://en.haberler.com/minister-ciftci-announced-the-flood-toll-272-kg-of-2314604/)
Gül directed schools across Istanbul to remain closed on October 16 while public servants received administrative leave and motorbike use was banned to limit risks on saturated roads. The governor advised citizens to stay indoors for the next one to two days except in emergencies because continued rain on already soaked ground could trigger collapses. Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan expanded operating hours for the metro system and encouraged use of public transport instead of private vehicles.[[3]](https://en.haberler.com/important-warning-from-governor-gul-who-shared-the-2314535/)
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality figures showed rainfall totals varied sharply with Beykoz measuring 273 kilograms per square metre, Sarıyer at 208 kilograms and Eyüpsultan at 203 kilograms while other districts ranged between 35 and 120 kilograms. The authority processed more than 8,500 reports of flooding, landslides and stranded individuals since the heavy downpours began on October 14. Officials documented 1,277 flooding incidents, 15 landslides and dozens of people trapped in vehicles or buildings during the initial 14 hours alone.[[4]](https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/turkiye/istanbul-un-saganak-bilancosu-8-bin-515-ihbar-yapildi-595-kisi-kurtarildi-2546970)
Transport authorities diverted 51 flights scheduled for Istanbul Airport while another 19 were cancelled as heavy rain and winds disrupted operations at the city’s two main airports. Similar flooding affected streets in Antalya on the Mediterranean coast where residents faced impassable roads, according to local reports. The interior ministry extended school closures to five additional provinces including Kocaeli, Zonguldak, Sakarya, Yalova and Düzce where heavy rain was forecast to continue.[[5]](https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/15/two-dead-in-istanbul-as-torrential-rain-floods-turkish-city/)
A comparable deluge in September 2009 produced the heaviest rainfall Istanbul had seen in 80 years at the time and resulted in at least 23 deaths with seven women among the victims drowned in a minibus, Reuters reported then. That event submerged neighbourhoods, turned highways into rivers and prompted military helicopters to assist in rescues while officials described huge damage to infrastructure. Current response efforts have similarly relied on boats and extensive ground teams to reach isolated residents.[[6]](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/uk/heaviest-istanbul-rains-in-80-years-kill-at-least-23-idUSTRE5881FA/)
The governorship launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s electrocution death as crews continued clearing debris and restoring services. Gül reiterated calls for vigilance against expected additional storms particularly during night hours. Emergency teams have hosted displaced residents in public guesthouses while monitoring forecasts for further rainfall over the coming days.
