Heavy rainfall battered Istanbul on Wednesday, triggering 1,277 flooding incidents and 15 landslides, leaving 47 people stranded and bringing traffic across the city to a near standstill as congestion reached 90%, authorities said.
The Istanbul Governor's Office said emergency teams responded to widespread flooding and weather-related damage, with hundreds of homes, businesses and vehicles affected by the downpours.
According to the governor's statement, authorities received reports involving 808 homes, 280 businesses and 76 vehicles, along with 13 fallen trees and two damaged roofs.
The heaviest rainfall was recorded in Beykoz's Ömerli district on Istanbul's Asian side, where precipitation reached 193.84 kilograms per square meter.
Other areas recorded significantly varying rainfall levels, including 125.9 kilograms per square meter in Arnavutköy, 124.72 kilograms in Sarıyer's ITÜ Maslak area, 75.2 kilograms in Çatalca, 14.3 kilograms in Kartal and 6.8 kilograms in Bakırköy.
The governor's office said a crisis coordination center had been established at the Istanbul Regional Directorate of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) following warnings from the Turkish State Meteorological Service.
Around 8,000 personnel and 2,000 vehicles and construction machines were deployed across the city, with teams from AFAD, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) and district municipalities working to respond to flooding and other emergencies.
Traffic grinds to halt
The relentless downpours also caused severe traffic congestion across Istanbul, particularly during the evening rush hour as commuters left workplaces and schools.
Traffic density reached approximately 90% citywide, leaving major roads heavily congested and motorists struggling to return home amid persistent rainfall.
Public transportation services also experienced heavy passenger volumes as commuters sought alternatives to driving.
Despite the widespread disruption, the governor's office said no roads remained closed because of the rainfall. Airport runways were also operating normally, with no flight cancellations reported.
Authorities said emergency response operations were continuing and developments were being closely monitored by relevant agencies.
The governor's office also announced that social service personnel working at residential care facilities for children, older adults and people with disabilities would be exempt from administrative leave to ensure uninterrupted care services.