Severe weather has claimed two lives in Istanbul following an intense storm that local authorities describe as the most extreme precipitation event recorded in the metropolitan area in 84 years. The downpour triggered sudden inundations across multiple districts, leaving vehicles half-submerged and prompting emergency responders to launch extensive rescue operations.

The fatalities occurred under dangerous conditions created by the rising water. A teenager lost his life after stepping into a charged puddle and suffering a fatal electrical shock, while an adult man died from head injuries sustained after slipping on wet pavement while trying to navigate a flooded street. Local officials have confirmed that an official inquiry is underway regarding the circumstances of the electrocution incident.

Approximately 600 individuals have been rescued from high-risk locations throughout the city. Municipal authorities deployed a workforce exceeding 8,000 personnel to manage the crisis, clear blocked drainage systems, and assist stranded residents. Transportation networks suffered significant disruptions as well, with dozens of incoming flights forced to divert away from local airports and numerous vehicles trapped in flooded subterranean parking structures.

Governor Davut Gül urged the population of more than 16 million people to stay indoors unless an urgent trip is unavoidable. City leadership extended public transit operating hours to encourage commuters to leave private automobiles at home, noting that the severe weather conditions are expected to persist. In response to the hazards, educational institutions across the city were directed to close, and special administrative leave provisions were announced for vulnerable workers and public sector employees with young children.

National officials noted that certain neighborhoods received a volume of water equivalent to a substantial fraction of the region's typical annual rainfall within a very short timeframe. The interior ministry issued wider alerts for neighboring provinces, warning that saturated ground and ongoing storms could trigger additional flash floods across the region. Emergency management teams remain on high alert as nighttime weather warnings stay in effect.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.