A 14-year-old boy has died after intense rainfall swept across Istanbul, flooding hundreds of properties, damaging roads and nearly paralysing traffic in Turkiye’s biggest city.

Security camera footage showed the teenager being electrocuted in the Balat neighbourhood of Istanbul’s Fatih district after he stepped into a large puddle during the downpour.

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The recording showed the boy walking through standing water near the entrance to a parking area before suddenly falling to the ground.

The Istanbul governor’s office said he was transported to hospital while unconscious but could not be saved despite medical efforts. Authorities have launched an investigation into the death.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul called on residents to remain indoors on Thursday unless they had essential travel needs. He also advised people living in basement apartments to stay on upper levels overnight and warned against entering stream beds, underpasses and other areas vulnerable to flooding.

Officials cancelled classes across Istanbul for Thursday and prohibited motorcycles from using city roads. Public employees with disabilities, as well as mothers of young children, were granted leave.

The motorcycle restriction began at 9pm on Wednesday and will remain in force until authorities announce otherwise.

Turkiye’s Interior Ministry issued warnings of flash flooding in several provinces on Wednesday and Thursday.

Roughly 8,000 emergency workers, supported by 2,000 vehicles and construction machines, were sent across the city of about 16 million residents.

Road closures

The storm began on Tuesday evening after the national weather service issued alerts for severe conditions.

Floodwater covered streets and underpasses, trapping vehicles in several neighbourhoods, including Esenyurt and Sultangazi.

Homes, shops and basement spaces were also inundated as water entered buildings.

Emergency response teams received more than 2,500 weather-related calls during the flooding.

Officials reported 1,277 flooding incidents and 15 landslides, while 47 people were left stranded. More than 800 homes, 280 businesses and 76 vehicles suffered damage or disruption.

Parts of roads collapsed in the Eyupsultan and Gaziosmanpasa districts.

In Esenyurt, bystanders reportedly pulled a woman to safety after floodwater carried her along a street.

Many districts saw roads disappear beneath floodwater, cars become stuck and homes and businesses fill with water. Flooding reached two hospitals and leaked through the ceiling at Haciosman metro station. In Sultangazi, a retaining wall at a primary school gave way while pupils were in class.

Authorities said no students were injured in the school incident.

The strongest rainfall was measured in the Omerli area of Beykoz on Istanbul’s Asian side, where nearly 194mm (7.6 inches) fell. Acting Istanbul Mayor Nuri Aslan said some parts of the city received close to 100mm (3.9 inches) of rain within 12 hours.

Evening traffic congestion climbed to around 90 percent, while flights continued operating normally.