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- October 13, 202617°
- BIST10012,151-0.94%
- USD49.34+0.24%
- EUR55.21-0.01%
- GOLD4,186.40-0.10%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN81,358-0.48%
- October 13, 202617°
Heavy rain causes flooding in Istanbul, residents lash out at İBB
Despite meteorological warnings, heavy rain in Istanbul submerged streets and underpasses. A woman was swept away by floodwaters in Beşiktaş, while in many districts residents struggled on their own.
The heavy downpour that struck Istanbul yesterday morning and continued throughout the day, despite days of “yellow code” warnings from the General Directorate of Meteorology and AKOM, once again exposed the failure of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) to take necessary precautions, plunging the city into flood disaster. With infrastructure completely overwhelmed, streets and avenues turned into rivers.
Istanbulites stranded on roads due to the inadequacy of the İBB administration, which had advertised “We solved Istanbul’s flood problems,” were forced to fend for themselves against the rising waters.
Woman rescued at the last moment in Beşiktaş
Infrastructure failures on İBB’s main arteries nearly caused a tragedy in Beşiktaş. Ihlamurdere Avenue, one of the district’s busiest thoroughfares, transformed into a flood channel within minutes. A woman who was swept away by the rushing waters while walking on the road was saved from drowning at the last moment by the brave intervention of nearby residents. The moments when İBB crews failed to respond in time were caught on camera.
Underpasses turn into lakes in Şişli, drivers abandoned to their fate
Major roads and underpasses in Şişli’s Zincirlikuyu area quickly filled with water due to İBB’s failure to adequately clean drains and pump out floodwater. Numerous vehicles were submerged up to their roofs in the underpass leading to Nispetiye Avenue, leaving drivers stranded for hours awaiting rescue. Trees uprooted by the storm crashed onto parked cars.
Couriers caught in floods in Çekmeköy
In Çekmeköy, one of the hardest-hit areas on the Anatolian side, overflowing drains turned roads into rivers. Motorcycle couriers delivering food faced desperate moments as İBB proved insufficient on the ground. Unable to withstand the strong currents on the streets, motorcycles toppled over, and once again, nearby residents rushed to help the couriers. Traffic ground to a halt, and shopkeepers fought for hours to protect their premises.
Historic market submerged in Üsküdar
In Üsküdar, at the square where the coastal road meets the sea, water accumulated in areas under İBB’s jurisdiction flooded the historic Sahafçılar (Booksellers) Bazaar. Many antiques and historic books suffered extensive damage as floodwaters poured into the shops. Bazaar tradesmen, angered by the delayed municipal response, tried to drain the water themselves.
Kurbağalıdere alarm in Kadıköy
Heavy rainfall brought Kurbağalıdere stream to the brink of overflowing in Kadıköy. Streets around Kalamış, Hasanpaşa and Kadıköy Municipality were completely submerged. Stranded shopkeepers and drivers rebelled against the İBB administration for failing to take measures and clear drains on time despite warnings.
Drain covers burst on Büyükada
İBB also failed on the Princes’ Islands. On Büyükada’s Recep Koç Avenue, water gushed from drain covers as infrastructure buckled under the pressure. Outdoor seating areas of cafes and restaurants were inundated, and shopkeepers battled alone to keep water out of their premises.
Sea services halted
İBB’s subsidiary Şehir Hatları failed to coordinate against the adverse effects of rough weather on maritime transport, leading to cancellations and long delays on many ferry services.
Despite the blaring warnings from meteorology, İBB administration’s failure to take necessary precautions on the ground once again inflicted the familiar ordeal on Istanbulites. Residents strongly reacted to the city being left to the same chronic neglect and infrastructure problems every time heavy rain hits, with no lasting solutions in sight.
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