Istanbul flooding prompts school closures and road bans

Istanbul flooding prompted Thursday school closures and a two-wheeler ban after Wednesday's rain, the governor's office said.

Authorities reported over 1,200 flood incidents and mobilized upwards of 8,000 emergency workers, supported by 2,000 response vehicles. The citywide operation accompanied restrictions on school attendance and road travel, while residents were advised to avoid unnecessary journeys and stay clear of locations vulnerable to flooding.

Schools close as travel restrictions begin

The Istanbul Governor's Office halted classroom teaching for Thursday across both private and public schools. The decision covered the city's school system rather than individual affected buildings; the supplied account did not specify whether remote teaching would replace attendance during the closure.

Motorcycles and other vehicles with two wheels were barred from using roads, with the restriction remaining in place until authorities lift it. Unlike the school closure, which specified Thursday, the traffic measure had no fixed end date in the announcement described in the report.

The governor's office also authorized administrative leave for a portion of the public-sector workforce. That measure was separate from the school suspension and vehicle ban: the account did not identify the eligible employee groups or set out how long their leave would last.

Floodwater carries cars through streets

Heavy rainfall on Wednesday left roads underwater and damaged buildings across Istanbul, according to the supplied account. Footage described in the report depicted cars swept along by water, powerful flows through streets and other vehicles attempting to cross inundated sections of road.

Emergency teams handled calls numbering in the thousands as the response spread across the metropolis. Authorities' count of flood incidents and the volume of calls describe different aspects of the operation; neither figure establishes how many buildings sustained damage or how many households were affected.

Residents were advised to remain indoors unless a trip was necessary. Officials specifically warned against entering tunnels, riverbeds and other areas susceptible to flooding, extending their safety guidance beyond the restrictions applying to motorcycles and other two-wheeled vehicles.

Balat death prompts an investigation

A boy aged 14 died from electrocution after stepping into pooled water at Cukurbostan Park in Balat, the governor's office said. An investigation was opened, but the account provided no findings about the electricity source or the circumstances that made the water dangerous.

Istanbul's disaster coordination center, AKOM, attributed the severe conditions to the arrival of cold Balkan air alongside a central Mediterranean rain system. That explanation addressed the weather pattern; it did not establish the cause of the electrical hazard reported in Balat.

The restrictions now have different decision points: the school suspension names Thursday, while the two-wheeler prohibition requires a separate decision to end it. If that prohibition stays in force beyond the school closure, the transport restriction would continue independently of any decision on classroom attendance.