Teenager dies as heavy rain floods Istanbul

By Al Jazeera Staff, AP and News Agencies. Published On 15 Oct 202615 Oct 2026.

Key points

• Regarding 8, 000 personnel, along with 2, 000 vehicles and construction machines, were deployed throughout the city, home to regarding 16 million residents, Turkish outlet Daily Sabah documented.
• The heaviest rain fell in the Omerli area of Beykoz, on Istanbul's Asian side, where almost 194mm (7.6 inches) was recorded, according to Daily Sabah.
• Authorities recorded 1, 277 floods and 15 landslides, and 47 individuals were stranded.
• Emergency services received more than 2, 500 reports of weather-related incidents, Daily Sabah documented.
• Istanbul Governor Davut Gul pressed residents to stay at home on Thursday unless travel was necessary.

In practice, a teenage boy has died after torrential rain battered Istanbul, flooding hundreds of homes, causing roads to cave in and bringing traffic to a near standstill in Turkiye's largest city.

After stepping into a puddle during heavy rain, footage verified by Al Jazeera indicated a surveillance camera capturing the moment the 14-year-old boy was electrocuted in the Balat area of Istanbul's Fatih district.

In practice, the footage indicated the boy walking through puddles at the entrance of a car park before suddenly collapsing to the ground.

Meanwhile, the Istanbul governor's office remarked the boy was taken to hospital unconscious, but he died despite rescue attempts, noting that an investigation into the incident had been opened.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul pressed residents to stay at home on Thursday unless travel was necessary. He called on individuals living in basement flats to spend the night on higher floors and to avoid creek beds, underpasses and other flood-prone areas.

Meanwhile, the governor's office suspended classes throughout the city for Thursday and banned motorcycles from the roads, the Associated Press noted. State employees with disabilities and mothers with young children were placed on leave.

Notably, the motorcycle ban took effect at 9pm on Wednesday and would stay in place until further notice.

Turkiye's Interior Ministry cautioned of sudden flooding in a number of provinces on Wednesday and Thursday.

Notably, the rain began on Tuesday evening after warnings from Turkiye's weather service.

Water filled roads and underpasses, leaving vehicles stranded in a number of districts, including Esenyurt and Sultangazi. Water additionally poured into homes, shops and basements.

Authorities recorded 1, 277 floods and 15 landslides, and 47 individuals were stranded. More than 800 homes, 280 businesses and 76 vehicles were affected.

Sections of road collapsed in the Eyupsultan and Gaziosmanpasa districts, the Turkiye Today news website documented.

Local media documented that passersby rescued a woman after floodwaters swept her along in Istanbul's Esenyurt district.

In practice, a number of neighbourhoods were affected, with roads submerged, vehicles stranded and homes and businesses inundated. Floodwater additionally reached two hospitals and poured through the ceiling of the Haciosman metro station. In Sultangazi, a primary school's retaining wall collapsed while students were inside their classrooms. No injuries were documented among students.

For context, the heaviest rain fell in the Omerli area of Beykoz, on Istanbul's Asian side, where almost 194mm (7.6 inches) was recorded, according to Daily Sabah. Acting Istanbul Mayor Nuri Aslan remarked parts of the city received almost 100mm (3.9 inches) in 12 hours.

Traffic density reached regarding 90 percent during the evening rush hour, and flights were operating normally, the newspaper stated.

Taken together, the developments around teenager dies as heavy rain floods Istanbul point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.