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Heavy rain that began sweeping Istanbul on the previous evening continued to disrupt daily life, flooding streets, underpasses and tunnels in many districts and leaving vehicles stranded in waterlogged roads. Landslides, fallen trees and damage to homes, workplaces and sports facilities were also reported.

The downpour hit dozens of neighborhoods, from Bağcılar and Esenler on the European side to Sarıyer, where Ayazağa turned into one of the worst-affected areas. Floodwaters swept parked cars down streets, submerged a shopping mall's multi-story parking garage and a football pitch, and forced around 20 residents to be rescued by construction machinery and ropes. The historic Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar in Fatih were also inundated.

Transport services were disrupted as the Kağıthane stream overflowed and the Kağıthane-Piyalepaşa Tunnel was closed. Metro Istanbul said services on the T1 Kabataş-Bağcılar tram line were running only on two separate sections, while the T3 Kadıköy-Moda line was suspended entirely. Rescue crews worked across the city to reach people trapped in flooded underpasses and vehicles.

Key Takeaways

• Widespread flooding hit dozens of Istanbul districts, stranding vehicles and inundating homes and businesses
• Roughly 20 people were rescued with machinery and ropes in Sarıyer's Ayazağa neighborhood, one of the hardest-hit areas
• Tram services were partly suspended and the Kağıthane-Piyalepaşa Tunnel was closed due to the overflow