The death toll from severe flooding in Istanbul has risen to five after the body of a person reported missing was found in the Golden Horn on Sunday, as cleanup and demolition operations continue in areas heavily affected by the disaster.
The latest recovery comes after torrential rainfall battered the city on Oct. 14, triggering flooding and inundating residential areas and businesses.
In Sarıyer's Ayazağa neighborhood, one of the areas hardest hit by the flooding, authorities have continued cleanup, demolition and debris removal operations following the disaster.
Demolition work began after authorities decided to remove several structures built along the streambed as part of efforts to rehabilitate the watercourse and reduce future flood risks.
The buildings slated for demolition included a Quran course, Ayazağa Atatürk Stadium, 19 shops and structures containing residential quarters.
Demolition of the 19 shops, the Quran course building and the stadium has been completed, while teams are continuing to remove debris and clean the affected sites.
The operations are part of broader efforts to address damage caused by the flooding and improve conditions along the streambed in Ayazağa.
The latest fatality brings the death toll from the flooding in Istanbul to five, while the discovery of the body in the Golden Horn marks a development in the search for those reported missing after the disaster.
Meanwhile, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat announced TL 80 million ($1.9 million) in financial assistance for tradespeople affected by the flooding to help cover their urgent needs.
In a statement shared on the social media platform NSosyal on Saturday, Bolat said the rainfall recorded in Istanbul on Oct. 14-15 was the heaviest in 84 years.
The assistance will be sent to the Istanbul Governor's Office through the Central Union of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen Credit and Guarantee Cooperatives (TESKOMB) on Monday, Oct. 19, and distributed to affected tradespeople under the governor's office's coordination, he added.