Eight people killed in flooding in Türkiye — The National
Eight people were killed in Istanbul, Türkiye, in flooding following the heaviest rainfall in more than 80 years. One person was electrocuted, while others were swept away by the water, The National reports. The Ayazaga district in the north of the city sustained significant damage after the Ayazaga stream overflowed its banks.
Gülşah Aktan, 28, told the publication that she spent four and a half hours on a flooded bus before local residents helped passengers get out. The water also flooded her family’s electrical repair workshop, destroying 40 computers, other equipment and goods worth between 5 million and 6 million Turkish lira.
Losses for small businesses
According to Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, 3,000 homes and businesses suffered substantial damage. He promised compensation to those affected; more than 5,000 people whose property was less severely damaged have already received 10,000 lira each. At the same time, business owners in Ayazaga said they were still awaiting payments after damage assessments.
Turkish outlet Haberturk estimated the total damage from the flooding in Istanbul at $400 million, with insurers set to cover only about 10% of that amount. Many owners of small businesses in the district have no insurance. Clothing and footwear store owner Yakub Kotoglu said he had lost about 75% of his stock, estimating the damage at no less than 3 million lira.
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Development of catchment areas
Experts interviewed by the publication believe the effects of the downpour were worsened by dense development. Construction in the upper part of the catchment basin prevents enough water from seeping into the ground, while office complexes, housing and multilevel underground parking garages in the valley limit space for water runoff.
Landscape architect Seher Yücel of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University said construction should not be allowed within floodplains. In her view, such areas should be turned into public spaces that can store water during floods and be used as parks during dry periods.
According to an academic study from 2024, the area of settled land in Istanbul Province increased from 6% in 1984 to 24% in 2022, while agricultural land decreased from 36% to 17%. Climatologist Levent Kurnaz stressed that intense rainfall over fewer days increases the risks of both floods and droughts, especially when the ground is covered by development and cannot absorb water quickly enough.
