20.10.2026 17:44
In Sarıyer Ayazağa, a ready-to-wear store that has been operating for 19 years was flooded during the heavy downpour that struck on October 14. In the approximately 600-square-meter store, the water level rose to 1 meter 70 centimeters, and the business owner stated that damage of approximately 7 million 500 thousand lira occurred.
In Sarıyer Ayazağa, floodwater inundated a 19-year-old ready-to-wear clothing store. In the approximately 600-square-meter store, the water level rose to as high as 1 meter 70 centimeters, while products and equipment became unusable. Business owner Kenan Sümer stated that the flood caused approximately 7 million 500 thousand liras in damage and said, “We are a 19-year-old business. It is painful for 19 years to be destroyed in 1-2 minutes.” The moments when the store was flooded were captured on security camera.
WATER LEVEL IN THE STORE APPROACHED 2 METERS
Due to the heavy downpour that was effective in Istanbul on October 14, many homes and businesses in Sarıyer Ayazağa Neighborhood were flooded and vehicles were swept away. The clothing store operated by Kenan Sümer in the neighborhood was also flooded. In the store, a 19-year-old family business, water filled the store in a short time and with great speed. At that moment, the business owner’s son and daughter-in-law, who were in the store, tried to get themselves outside. In the approximately 600-square-meter store, the water level rose to as high as 1 meter 70 centimeters. The products, stands, and equipment in the store remained in water and mud.
THOSE MOMENTS ON CAMERA
The moments when water filled the store were captured on security camera. In the footage, two people inside were seen trying to get out. Store owner Kenan Sümer stated that the flood caused approximately 7 million 500 thousand liras in damage.
“19 YEARS DISAPPEARING IN 1-2 MINUTES IS ALSO PAINFUL”
Store owner Kenan Sümer said, “It was raining all day. Toward evening, around 6, when a dense mass of water suddenly came from Dereboyu Street toward Atatürk Street, very violent, pressurized water came in through the door. My son and daughter-in-law were in the shop at that moment. Like all the tradespeople in Ayazağa, we suffered very serious damage. Around 7 million 500 thousand in damage came in total to this merchandise, equipment, white goods, everything. It all went in a minute. We are a 19-year-old business here. We have been here for years, and we run it as a family. God willing, I will try to get up again. It was my son and daughter-in-law’s wedding anniversary, October 17. They were going to go on vacation in the Balkans. That was canceled too. The children don’t show it, but of course they were upset. I had opened this place during a crisis. They said, ‘Why are you opening, how are you opening?’ We came as a family, did the renovation, opened, and thank God we worked. We achieved and did many things. We educated and raised the children. But 19 years disappearing in 1-2 minutes is also painful. We are sad but we are smiling. Right now we have removed the wreckage. The İSTAÇ team came, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality team came. Cleaning is being done right now. It is almost finished. Drying, painting, the stands coming again—these are an economy, a process; it will take an estimated 1 to 1.5 months to recover,” he said.
“THE PRODUCT I GOT UP AT 5 IN THE MORNING AND BROUGHT WAS FLOWING AWAY IN FRONT OF ME AT THE EVENING CALL TO PRAYER”
Hüseyin Sümer, who was caught in the flood with his wife at the shop, said, “On October 14 we experienced a terrible disaster. Since the morning of that day there had already been a terrible rainfall, rain. First, there is a gap between the shop and the building next to it, and that place became a pool. That pool exceeded 2 meters in height, cracks and holes opened in the walls. Water began to come from there. While I was intervening in that water together with my wife, suddenly a stream burst, there was a loud noise, and terribly pressurized water came. We couldn’t understand; while we were trying to move the clothes to the other side, to the safe side, we heard a noise at the door and when we looked at the door, that terrible water began to enter. At that point we abandoned everything and started trying to save our lives. It is 20 years of labor. Let me put it this way: the product I got up at 5 in the morning and brought was flowing away in front of me at the evening call to prayer. All the capital, all the labors—after saving your life, you turn and look, yes, it is a terrible thing. We barely got out of here; someone reached out a hand to us, I can’t remember who it was,” he said.
“MY ONLY CONCERN WAS TO SAVE MY WIFE”
Sümer said, “It was our anniversary with my wife; it was a strange anniversary. Our first year became a strange thing, our nerves were shattered; we laugh, don’t look at us like that, but thank God we were able to save our lives; it was truly a very terrible disaster. How much can one tell, actually, because the people living here know the horror of the situation; after we left the store we were scared, saying the water is continuing to rise, we need to escape from here, I took my wife on my back from this street you see, my cousin was in front, I used him for support, and we tried to get out by dragging our feet, to escape this process. Even on the road the water was above waist height. Getting out of here, and my only concern was to save my wife. This is a family business. Everything you see here, everything that came out, these 6 dump trucks emptied it, and we will still continue. Every product you see here came in here on our backs,” he said.