Latest Update on the Istanbul Flood Disaster: Search Operations Continue
Heavy rain has caused severe flooding in several parts of Istanbul, leaving people missing and homes, businesses and vehicles under water. Search efforts are continuing in Pendik and Sarıyer, while newly surfaced mobile-phone footage shows a car being swept away by floodwaters in Ayazağa.
In Pendik, emergency teams have begun searching for two people who were reportedly caught in the rushing water. No further details about their identities or the circumstances of their disappearance were available in the latest update.
Search for Murat Babacanov continues
Teams are still looking for Murat Babacanov, a 30-year-old citizen of Turkmenistan who went missing after the Ayazağa stream overflowed in Sarıyer. The flooding followed heavy rainfall in Istanbul on 14 October.
Babacanov’s friend, Artur Seydullayev, said he had last heard from him at around 6:50 p.m. on the first day of the storm. The two had spoken by phone shortly before Babacanov disappeared. Since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown.
Seydullayev said the last mobile-phone signal associated with Babacanov was detected near Ayazağa Square. He and others following the search believe Babacanov may have been in the area, but no confirmed information about his location has emerged. According to his friend, no one has reported seeing him after the flood swept through.
New footage shows car carried by the current
Newly released phone footage captures a vehicle being dragged through floodwater in Sarıyer. The car is believed to have belonged to 63-year-old Ahmet Derin, who went missing during the flooding. Search teams have been looking for him since the incident.
The recording conveys the alarm of people watching the water rise. Those filming can be heard warning one another that the stream is overflowing and urging people to leave the area. At one point, someone says they may die if they remain there.
As the vehicle moves through the current, bystanders appear to realize that a person may be inside. The footage captures them calling for help and praying for the occupant. The video does not establish what happened to Derin, and the search for him remains ongoing.
Another person missing after the same flood is 55-year-old Haşim Ciritoğulları. Search efforts are also continuing to locate him.
Flooding left parts of Ayazağa under water
The stream overflowed in Ayazağa, in Sarıyer, during the 14 October downpour. Floodwater inundated numerous homes, workplaces and vehicles, while the force of the current created dangerous conditions across the area.
The latest reports describe several separate searches: two people in Pendik and three men missing in the Sarıyer flooding. The circumstances and available information differ in each case, but the overall response remains focused on locating those unaccounted for.
Why flash floods are especially dangerous
When intense rain falls over a short period, water can collect rapidly in streets, underpasses and low-lying areas. Streams and drainage channels may rise with little warning, and a flow that looks manageable can become powerful enough to move vehicles and sweep people off their feet.
Floodwater can also hide hazards such as open drains, debris, damaged road surfaces and electrical dangers. Its depth and speed are difficult to judge from the roadside, so entering it to retrieve belongings or approach a stranded vehicle can put rescuers and bystanders at risk.
Safety steps during severe rainfall
People in areas prone to flooding should move away from streams, underpasses and other low ground as soon as water begins to rise. Drivers should never attempt to cross a flooded road: even a relatively shallow current can make a vehicle unstable or carry it away.
Anyone caught near rapidly rising water should seek higher ground and follow instructions from emergency personnel. If someone is in danger, the safest response is to contact the emergency services rather than enter the current. Residents should also avoid returning to flooded buildings until officials say it is safe, since structural damage and electrical hazards may not be immediately visible.
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