04.07.2026 22:40
While a sudden heavy downpour in Istanbul paralyzed life in the city, a citizen's tough struggle against floodwaters with a squeegee in hand was caught on camera. Trying to prevent muddy water, flowing like a waterfall down a steep slope, from flooding the ground floor of a building, the citizen single-handedly resisted the force of tons of water. Those desperate and difficult moments of the man risking his life to protect his home became a topic of discussion on social media.
The sudden and violent thunderstorm that swept across Istanbul, paralyzing daily life, once again left behind striking images.
Across the city, with manholes overflowing and streets turning into lakes, many homes and workplaces in several districts were flooded.
In moments shared on social media, a resident of a building rapidly flooded by floodwaters was recorded second by second in a relentless and arduous struggle against the raging waves using a squeegee in hand.
STEEP SLOPES SURRENDERED TO THE FLOOD: BUILDINGS FILLED WITH WATER
Following critical warnings from the General Directorate of Meteorology, the heavy rainfall affecting Istanbul caused floods, especially in areas with inadequate infrastructure. In Istanbul's steep-sloped regions, floodwaters rushing down from above transformed into virtual waterfalls. The entrances and basement floors of buildings in alleys became direct targets of the muddy water cascading from higher ground.
HARD STRUGGLE USING A SQUEEGEE CAPTURED ON CAMERA
In the terrifying moments captured on camera, tons of water were seen rushing rapidly towards the entrance of an apartment building at the base of a steep slope. A resident, trying to prevent his home from being submerged, risked his life with nothing but a squeegee in hand, attempting to set up a barricade at the doorway.
EXERTED A SUPERHUMAN EFFORT FOR MINUTES
The resident, struggling to stand against the floodwaters, which had a very high flow rate and grew like an avalanche cascading down the stairs, fought a tough battle using a squeegee to redirect the water for minutes. Those moments, watched in fear by other neighbors from their windows, once again highlighted how summer downpours force Istanbul residents into a struggle with their own means.