Istanbul has been hit by its heaviest rainfall since records began in 1942, and the resulting flash floods have killed at least eight people. The Istanbul Floods began on October 14 and affected districts including Ayvansaray on the Golden Horn and Pendik, as well as neighbouring Kocaeli province in Turkey.
As of October 19, Governor Davut Gül said six people had died in Istanbul and two in Kocaeli, with one person still missing. Authorities had received nearly 20,000 reports of property damage, and about 2,000 homes and 900 businesses were seriously damaged, according to AFP and AP reports carried by Euronews.
Crews have been draining floodwater and clearing debris. Authorities paid 10,000 lira (about €180) to 5,200 affected residents on October 16, with 2,500 more payments due October 19, and the trade minister announced TL 80 million in aid for affected tradespeople. We have not confirmed any of the organizations we track responding as of October 22; browse the list of disaster relief organizations for groups that support flood recovery.
Readers who want to help can find current information on the Istanbul Floods page, and the full directory is at Disaster Relief Organizations.
