Istanbul Governor Gül reported that search efforts for 3 of our fellow citizens are continuing. He carried out the inspection in Ayazağa. Istanbul Governor Davut Gül inspected on site the debris removal, cleaning and demolition work in flood-affected Ayazağa, and then reported that efforts to find the three missing people are continuing. Damage assessments have been largely completed. The Governor stated that only a single building remains to be demolished and said that once it is torn down in the afternoon, all structures obstructing İSKİ’s stream rehabilitation project will have been removed. Gül noted that the Kentsel Dönüşüm Başkanlığı has opened an office in the area and stated that citizens can have their homes rebuilt either through their own means or via a contractor. He added that they could also have this done through TOKİ.
Overflows occurred in Şile. Gül explained that flooding occurred in Şile due to streams overflowing, but that there was no loss of life or anyone trapped, and that teams have been directed to this area. The decision will become clear next week. He announced that the decision regarding the relocation of the stadium to its new site will become clear next week.
Regarding the missing, Gül said that the incident site for the people being searched for in Pendik is Gebze, and that searches are being conducted along the 17-kilometer stream line and in the sea, particularly in Haliç, with Sahil Güvenlik and underwater teams. Evacuations have been largely completed. He added that if water re-enters basement floors, requests are met immediately. He thanked the teams working 24/7 in the field. He also conveyed his thanks to volunteers and civil society organizations.
Why it matters
The demolition decision in Ayazağa carries a significance beyond the disaster: with the removal of the final structure, all obstacles standing in the way of İSKİ’s stream rehabilitation project are lifted, clearing the path for infrastructure work aimed at reducing similar floods in the area. The Urban Transformation Presidency opening an office in the field for those whose homes were damaged means the reconstruction process gains an official point of contact; however, the announcement does not clarify how much of the cost will be placed on citizens under the three options offered. The fact that the search for the three missing people has extended beyond the 17-kilometer stream line to Haliç and the sea shows that their fate remains uncertain and that the families’ wait continues. Although the absence of any loss of life in Şile eases the picture, the occurrence of floods in different districts reveals that the risk in stream beds in Istanbul is not unique to a single neighborhood.
Background
Istanbul is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 14 stories featuring this name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated October 17, 2026.