The death toll from flooding in Istanbul rose to four after rescue teams found a body beneath a bridge in the Sarıyer district, Hürriyet reported on Friday, as Turkish officials warned that the worst of the severe weather may still lie ahead.
According to Hürriyet, the discovery in Ayazağa came on the third day of the flood emergency, which has damaged homes and businesses across the city. Search efforts were also continuing for four missing people, the paper reported, citing statements from ministers who inspected the affected area.
Why it matters
The flooding has disrupted daily life in Turkey's largest city and prompted a large-scale government response. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 46,000 personnel were working in Istanbul, part of a nationwide deployment of 60,000 staff, according to Hürriyet.
The emergency extends beyond Istanbul. Yerlikaya said schools in Sakarya province would close for two days, where 1,621 personnel, 617 vehicles and eight boats were managing the crisis. He said 641 emergency calls had been received there and 865 people had been evacuated.
Warnings remain in force across several provinces
The Meteorology General Directorate said unsettled conditions would continue across much of the country, with thunderstorms and heavy showers forecast. It issued strong-rain warnings for Istanbul, Ankara and the western Black Sea region, among other provinces.
Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said an orange alert covered Istanbul's Anatolian side for Friday evening and for the hours after midday on Saturday. He said Bursa, Sakarya, Kocaeli and Yalova were also under orange warnings, while 36 provinces were placed under a yellow alert.
"The danger has not passed," Yerlikaya said during remarks in Sakarya, according to Hürriyet. He said five provinces were under orange alerts and called on residents in those areas to stay indoors where possible.
The Istanbul Governor's Office said in a social media statement that rainfall was expected to intensify after midday on Saturday, particularly in the Anatolian side districts of Beykoz, Şile, Ümraniye, Pendik, Tuzla, Sancaktepe, Çekmeköy and Sultanbeyli. It warned of possible flooding, water accumulation, landslides and transport disruption, and urged residents to take precautions.
The weather service also forecast storms for the eastern Marmara region and parts of the western and central Black Sea. Winds of 60 to 80 kilometres per hour were expected from Saturday evening in northern areas of Istanbul's Anatolian side, including Beykoz and Şile, as well as around Kocaeli and Sakarya.
From Saturday night, similar conditions were forecast around Düzce, Zonguldak and Bartın. From Sunday morning, strong winds of 70 to 90 kilometres per hour were expected in northern Kastamonu, around Sinop and in inland parts of Samsun. The service cautioned that such winds could disrupt transport and bring down roofs, trees and poles.
Ferry services cancelled as police survey damage from the air
Istanbul's municipal ferry operator, Şehir Hatları, announced cancellations because of the poor conditions, according to Hürriyet. Services on the Üsküdar-Haliç, Beşiktaş-Haliç and Kadıköy-Haliç routes were suspended, along with the long Bosphorus tour.
Evening sailings were also cancelled on several lines, including Kadıköy-Karaköy after 21:00, Üsküdar-Eminönü after 20:30, Beykoz-Sarıyer after 18:55, Küçüksu-İstinye after 18:40 and Çubuklu-İstinye after 19:00. All overnight services on the Büyükada-Sedef Adası and Kadıköy-Karaköy-Beşiktaş routes were called off as well.
Police also used a helicopter to assess the damage. According to Hürriyet, an aircraft belonging to the Istanbul aviation branch took off from Atatürk Airport and flew over Sarıyer and the Golden Horn, with crews monitoring response work and recording affected areas from the air.
Kurum said authorities were taking all necessary measures and asked the public to follow official guidance. Yerlikaya said the government would work to compensate residents for their losses, and that state water authority DSİ was carrying out rehabilitation work on streams, with 140 vehicles allocated to support those efforts, mainly in the Black Sea region.
Officials said citizens had been informed by text message about the developing situation.
What to watch next: whether the forecast heavy rain and strong winds materialise over the weekend, and whether search teams locate the four people still missing in Istanbul.
