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Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said three people died in Istanbul as heavy rain swept the city, while search teams are working around the clock for six people reported missing, five in Istanbul and one in Kocaeli.

Çiftçi briefed reporters at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) headquarters, reporting that rainfall in parts of Istanbul reached 272 kilograms per square meter and that thousands of residents had been rescued.

Minister's call and next steps

Çiftçi asked residents to follow the statements and guidance of authorized institutions carefully and to put their own safety and that of the people around them first. "Human life is more valuable than anything," the minister said, adding: "We must not put the safety of even a single citizen at risk. Let us not forget that timely precautions save lives."

The minister offered get-well wishes to those affected and to the nation, and said that throughout the day the work in provinces under yellow and orange alerts had been coordinated with governors alongside the head of AFAD.

Çiftçi said the efforts would continue in Istanbul tomorrow, both in the field and at the Disaster Coordination Center.

Key takeaways

• Three people died in Istanbul, one from electric shock and two from drowning, according to Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi.
• Search teams are looking for six missing people, five in Istanbul and one in Kocaeli.
• Some 3,055 stranded residents were rescued in Istanbul and 7,456 confirmed incidents were answered by emergency teams.
• Some 58,085 personnel are on duty nationwide, including 46,597 in Istanbul, with operations run under the TAMP plan around the clock.