20.10.2026 16:21
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, recalling at the Marmara Basin Water Board Meeting that 7 people lost their lives in the flood last week, said, "Everyone living in this city has more or less a fault in the occurrence of this flood. If measures had been taken in time, 7 (of our citizens) might not have died." Stating that the collapsed buildings were unlicensed and earthquake-unresistant structures built on the stream bed, Gül noted that they did not consider the measures only as stream rehabilitation.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül stated that the flood that occurred in the city last week was the result of rainfall “that can be encountered once in 500 years.” Gül said that these floods, like the August 17 earthquake, should also be a milestone for the Marmara region.
“IF PRECAUTIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN IN TIME, THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN 7 DEATHS”
The meeting organized under the coordination of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry began with the opening speech of Afire Sever, Director General of Water Management. At the meeting, measures for protecting water resources and preventing water pollution, investment needs, and efforts within the scope of combating floods and agricultural drought were discussed.
Evaluating the flood that occurred last week, Gül said, “The flood did not happen out of nowhere. In fact, as our fellow citizens, as our citizens, as administrators, everyone living in this city has some degree of fault, more or less, in this flood happening. If precautions had been taken in time, 7 (of our citizens) might not have died. We do not consider these precautions only as stream rehabilitation,” he said.
“WE COULD HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT NUMBERS”
Stating that they were faced with an amount of rainfall that can be encountered once in 500 years, Gül spoke as follows:
“As a result of this, unfortunately, 7 of our fellow citizens lost their lives. We wish them God’s mercy. Of course, we do not look at this matter as a statistic. We would not want even a fingernail of one fellow citizen to be harmed. Therefore, our hearts ache for each of the 7 people. In fact, such a great flood came that, God forbid, today we could have been talking about different numbers, not 7.”
“THE BUILDINGS WE DEMOLISHED ARE UNLICENSED AND NOT EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANT”
Gül, saying that the buildings demolished after the flood were unlicensed and not earthquake-resistant structures located in the stream bed, stated that these buildings were in a condition that could collapse even without an earthquake. Emphasizing that the responsibility did not lie only with the citizens, Gül said the following:
“Our fellow citizens building this in the stream bed, building on land without a title deed, building without earthquake resistance—yes, that is a fault on their part, but as municipalities, as administrators in every mechanism of the state, we should have intervened while these were being built, while these were being created there. Of course, this is not a matter of 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years. These are the faults of all of us and of those before us over 50 years, 100 years.”
Stating that it could be seen with the naked eye that water beds in the flood-affected areas had been narrowed as much as possible and that the necessary precautions had not been taken, Gül said that a will needed to be demonstrated that would not allow unregistered construction and living in stream beds and similar places.
“THERE IS NEARLY 10 BILLION IN DAMAGE”
Stating that the flood caused material and moral losses, Gül used the expressions, “In this last flood alone, there is direct and indirect damage of nearly 10 billion, and the pain of our deceased fellow citizens cannot be measured with money anyway.”
“IT SHOULD BE A MILESTONE LIKE AUGUST 17”
Gül continued his words as follows:
“After this stage, just as the August 17 earthquake became a milestone, the floods we experienced last week must also be a milestone for the Marmara region, especially for our Istanbul. All the numbers have changed. All our expectations have changed. As long as we store water properly, rehabilitate the channels properly, and do not improperly obstruct them, there is no risk at all. It can be managed very easily and can be benefited from.”