Boy, 14, Dies in Istanbul Floods as Schools Close for Thursday

Updated 22:19 UTC: The death toll from the Istanbul floods rose to three on Thursday, October 15, 2026, officials said. A body found near a stream in Kagithane was the third death, after the 14 year old boy in Balat and a 34 year old who slipped while crossing a flooded road in Ayazaga. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said 2,727 people had been evacuated, and three people were reported missing in his update. Governor Davut Gul said 51 flights at Istanbul Airport were diverted and 19 were canceled, and schools will stay closed through Friday, October 16, 2026.

A 14 year old boy died in Istanbul on Wednesday after he suffered an electric shock in floodwater, as torrential rain flooded homes, businesses and main roads across Turkey largest city and forced schools to close on Thursday.

The boy was at Cukurbostan Park in Balat, a historic district on the European side of the city, the Istanbul governor office said. He was taken to hospital unconscious and could not be saved. An investigation has started.

The rain hit a city of about 16 million people. Floodwater swept away parked cars in some districts and left other vehicles stranded. Bystanders pulled a woman to safety as water carried her down a street, and firefighters rescued a person trapped in a flooded basement, footage aired by NTV showed. Water also entered parts of the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar, the state run Anadolu news agency reported.

The response, in numbers

The governor office said emergency services received 2,518 reports between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. The reports included 1,277 flooding cases, 15 landslides and 47 cases of stranded people. About 8,000 personnel and 2,000 vehicles and pieces of heavy equipment were deployed.

Rain gauges told the story. The Beykoz Omerli station on the Asian side recorded nearly 194 millimeters of rain. Stations in Sariyer and Arnavutkoy on the European side recorded about 125 millimeters. The Kagithane stream overflowed and shut the Kagithane Piyalepasa road tunnel for a time. In Sariyer, water entered homes and businesses and trapped vehicles on roads.

Schools shut, residents told to stay home

The governor office suspended education for Thursday, Oct. 15. State employees with disabilities and mothers with young children were placed on leave. Residents were advised to stay home unless travel was necessary, and people in basement flats were advised to spend the night elsewhere, the Associated Press reported. Motorcycles were barred from traffic.

A driver dies on Rhodes

The same stormy spell hit Greece. On the island of Rhodes, a 62 year old man died on Wednesday after a torrent of water swept his car onto a beach, Greek authorities said. The coast guard said his body was found near a small seaside village about 30 kilometers, 19 miles, from the town of Rhodes. Four cars were washed away. Authorities advised people on Rhodes and other Aegean islands to limit travel as heavy rain flooded streets and rivers overflowed, Reuters reported.

Why it matters

Istanbul floods fast when heavy rain meets steep streets, paved ground and old drainage. Wednesday total of about 100 millimeters in 12 hours, reported by the acting mayor office, is the kind of rain the city struggles to drain. The deaths in Istanbul and Rhodes also show the twin risks in flash floods: moving water on roads, and live electricity in standing water. Officials in both countries kept warnings in place into Thursday.