At least three people have died and five others remain missing after torrential rainfall triggered severe flooding in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday, October 15, with officials describing the downpour as the heaviest in at least 80 years.
The flooding submerged streets in Ayazağa, a neighbourhood on Istanbul’s European side, leaving damaged cars, overturned vans and stranded trucks scattered across roads.
Aerial footage showed muddy floodwater covering roads and residential areas as emergency workers battled to clear debris and reach affected communities.
The disaster also disrupted essential services, leaving some households without electricity, running water and natural gas.
Residents of Ayazağa said the rain initially began lightly before a stream further upstream burst its banks, unleashing a sudden surge of water through the neighbourhood.
Dozens of vehicles were reportedly swept away by the floodwaters, while traffic came to a standstill. Authorities also cut electricity and gas supplies in some areas as a precautionary measure.
Amid the destruction, footage showed a woman carrying a box of rescued kittens through the flooded streets. She said three other kittens remained missing.
Emergency and rescue teams continued their operations as authorities assessed the extent of the damage and worked to restore normalcy in affected areas.
