16.10.2026 19:10
Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum and Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi together conducted inspections in Ayazağa Neighborhood of Sarıyer, which was most affected by the flood disaster in Istanbul. While Kurum stated that all needs of the disaster victims would be met by the relevant units of the state, Çiftçi announced that 4 people are still being sought as missing, and that 46,000 personnel are on duty in Istanbul, while approximately 60,000 personnel are on duty in disaster and warning areas across Turkey.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum inspected Sarıyer's Ayazağa Neighborhood, the area most affected by the flood disaster that occurred in the city.
MINISTER KURUM: WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS ON SITE Speaking to members of the press after the inspections, Minister Kurum said that a major disaster had occurred and that from the first moment all state units had worked together under the coordination of the Governorship.
Wishing God's mercy on the citizens who lost their lives in the flood, condolences to their relatives, and urgent recovery to the injured, Kurum said, “Today, we wanted both our Interior Minister and ourselves to see Ayazağa together. We wanted to identify the issues and problems here on site. That is why today we are in the field together with our citizens.”
Noting that Ayazağa was the place where the disaster was experienced most intensely, Kurum said, “There is water flooding under many buildings, and we have evaluated together here the troubles and problems of our citizens regarding infrastructure works. Planned urbanization, planned infrastructure is the most important work for today.”
“WHATEVER OUR CITIZENS NEED, WE WILL MEET THESE NEEDS FIRST, TOGETHER WITH ALL UNITS OF OUR STATE” Expressing that such disasters would be experienced more from now on, Kurum continued as follows: “The climate is changing; the effects of climate change are increasing in severity and frequency in our country as in the whole world. Therefore, combating climate change is not a choice but a necessity. In this sense, preparing Istanbul for earthquakes and building Istanbul together with planned urbanization means taking measures against such disasters. We experienced this problem here because of water flooding caused by the closed stream section, insufficient infrastructure, and the existing irregular settlement that we call unplanned urbanization. We will make determinations. We experienced a disaster. After this disaster, whatever our citizens need, we will first meet these needs together with all units of our state. We will carry out these works under the coordination of our Governorship regarding overcoming the sediment in buildings and water flooding problems in basements.”
Stating that teams were carrying out search activities to find citizens missing in the flood, Kurum stated that they would first remove the traces of the disaster, then consult with citizens about permanent solutions, and that they were ready for whatever Ayazağa, Sarıyer, and Istanbul needed.
“THE CONTINUATION OF THE UNFINISHED STREAM REHABILITATION IS CRUCIAL HERE” Expressing that they would put forward a solution in which no citizen would be victimized, Kurum said, “The continuation of the unfinished stream rehabilitation is very essential here. Regarding this, we held meetings with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, our Acting Mayor, and our Sarıyer Mayor, and we decided to do together what needs to be done to overcome this problem.”
Drawing attention to the fact that completing stream rehabilitation in both Ayazağa and Cendere is very important, Kurum spoke as follows: “We want our mothers and fathers in Ayazağa and Sarıyer not to experience the same problem in future disasters. We do not want our tradespeople to open their shops with the same worry. They are in fear and do not want to experience the same fear again. Therefore, with a spirit of mobilization here, just as our state took action under the leadership of our President in the floods we experienced before in Bozkurt, Giresun Dereli, Rize, and Trabzon, and in the disaster we experienced in 11 provinces, and just as it built resilient cities quickly and in a planned manner, we will be in Istanbul, the apple of our eye, with the same determination. Every neighborhood and district of Istanbul is valuable and precious to us. Therefore, with this perspective and understanding, we will, God willing, carry out these works shoulder to shoulder as one with our nation.”
Expressing that they did not want to experience the same pains again, Kurum conveyed that they would implement this determination together in the field, that the process was difficult, and that support was needed.
Noting that all state units were working on a 7/24 basis, Kurum added that there were crisis centers in every region where a disaster occurred and that they followed the processes carried out there.
MINISTER ÇİFTÇİ: YELLOW CODE CONTINUES IN 26 PROVINCES, ORANGE CODE IN 3 PROVINCES Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi wished God's mercy on the citizens who lost their lives in Sarıyer's Ayazağa Neighborhood, where the disaster was experienced most severely, and conveyed his condolences to the grieving families and the noble nation.
Recalling the work they did yesterday at the AFAD Coordination Center in Ankara, Çiftçi stated that the General Directorate of Meteorology issued a yellow code for 42 provinces and an orange code for 6 provinces on October 14, and that as of yesterday, the places with yellow code had dropped to 36 and the places with orange code to 4.
Noting that the number had dropped a little more today, Çiftçi conveyed that the yellow code continued in 26 provinces and the orange code in 3 provinces.
Çiftçi said that from the first moment of the disaster, relevant institutions rushed to the aid of citizens under the coordination of Istanbul Governor Davut Gül.
“WE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE LARGEST FLOOD DISASTER SINCE 1942” Stating that together with Minister Kurum they visited houses and workplaces in Ayazağa Neighborhood and conveyed get-well wishes to citizens, Çiftçi said, “Currently, 4 of our citizens are still being searched as missing. We are trying to get news from them. In Istanbul, 46,000 of our colleagues, our AFAD workers, our volunteers, coast guard, gendarmerie, and municipal teams continue their work without interruption. Across all of Turkey, in places affected by disasters and places under warnings, nearly 60,000 of our personnel are in the field, on duty. They are trying to rush to the aid and help of our citizens.”
Noting that they toured and inspected the neighborhood, and that what needed to be done was being planned on one hand by the Istanbul Governorship and on the other by the AFAD Coordination Center in Ankara, Çiftçi said, “We are trying to rush to the aid of our citizens as much as we can, but we are also experiencing the largest flood disaster since 1942. We must not overlook this either.”
“ONE PERSON CAME FORWARD HIMSELF AND SAID HE WAS NOT MISSING” Regarding the missing in the flood, Çiftçi said, “One person came forward himself. He had said that he was not missing, and that a missing person report had been filed because he could not be reached due to his phone battery dying. The search for our other citizens continues. When we receive news from them as well, God willing, our Istanbul Governor or we will make the necessary statement,” he said.
Çiftçi, noting that damage assessment efforts are continuing, stated the following: “To date, 9,850 reports have been received in Istanbul. The reports made to our 112 Emergency Call Center and the reports that have been verified. Our teams have responded to a large portion of these, and they continue to respond. Our AFAD teams, municipalities, coast guard, gendarmerie, all units of the state continue their work in the field without interruption.”
MINISTER KURUM RESPONDS TO ÖZEL’S ‘KANAL İSTANBUL’ STATEMENT: MAKING POLITICS OUT OF THIS INCIDENT IS INCOMPETENCE” Later, when a journalist asked Minister Kurum about the statements of New Party Chairman Özgür Özel regarding the Kanal İstanbul project, he said the following: “We are experiencing one of the largest flood disasters in Istanbul's history. While we are still continuing the search for our missing, making politics out of this incident, to put it in one word, is incompetence. It is Mr. Özgür Özel's attempt to cover up his own lack of foresight and the troubles in his own administrations. In the Kanal İstanbul project, solely and only social housing projects are being built. Since he himself does not go out into the street, he does not know what is wanted or expected in the street. Let him come and see for himself what the problem in Ayazağa is, and instead of doing politics about the solution, instead of displaying political incompetence, let him come here and show that will; look, together with our metropolitan municipality acting mayor and our Sarıyer mayor, we are talking together here about what is needed and what is lacking, consulting, and together trying to set forth what needs to be done. We are not doing politics, we are not accusing anyone, and we believe this is the right thing. Therefore, frankly, let him not try to cover up his own administrative incompetence with these confrontations and slanders. Let him come, see what the citizens here lack, and show the will to eliminate that deficiency.”
Minister Kurum stated that it is time to consult on how to address the infrastructure deficiency in the region, how to open the closed sections over the stream, and how urban transformation should be carried out together, and to demonstrate that will, and said that the nation expects this as well.
Expressing that they will display an attitude that demonstrates the will to solve the nation's problems, Kurum said, “We will not engage in mudslinging or slander politics, and together, whatever the problems of Ayazağa and Istanbul are, we will carry out this work without any hidden agenda, without any expectation, solely and only to receive our nation's prayers. I suggest to him that, with this perspective, he come here to Sarıyer, listen to the citizens, and eliminate these deficiencies.” he said.
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