Turkey flash floods leave at least four people dead

At least four people died in flash floods caused by torrential rain on Tuesday in Turkey’s northwest. 

Two people died in Istanbul, according to city governor Davut Gul, while the bodies of two others were found in Kirklareli province after a campsite was swept over. 

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 12 holidaymakers were at the site when the heavy rain poured down. Six people were rescued while search continues for four missing.  

“Our teams will continue to work throughout the night,” Yerlikaya said on X, formally known as Twitter. 

In Istanbul, roads, homes and a metro station in the north of the city were flooded.

A 57-year-old woman died after being reportedly swept away by the strong current of water while she was outdoors, according to Anadolu Agency. 

The other fatality was a foreign national, Yerlikaya said.

Footage shared online showed cars submerged in water and people stuck in some shops. 

About a dozen people were stranded in a library and later rescued by emergency services, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"Citizens whose homes are uninhabitable due to flooding and those at risk of flooding can seek shelter in public facilities by calling 112," said Gul on X. 

Flooding from heavy rain was also reported in neighbouring Greece and Bulgaria. Greek authorities said at least one person has died and five people are missing. 

The heavy rain comes after a dry summer in Turkey, which caused the water supply in Istanbul dams to fall to a nine-year low.