Search, rescue, and damage assessment efforts are ongoing in the areas affected by the floods following the heavy rainfall in Istanbul. Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, in a statement made in Ayazağa, reported that 4 of the people reported missing are still being sought.
Çiftçi, who conducted inspections in the region alongside Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, stated that there were initially reports of 5 missing people, and that one of these individuals later turned up on their own.
Çiftçi said, "Currently, 4 of our citizens are being sought as missing. We are trying to get news from them." Minister Çiftçi noted that one of the people who could not be reached was reported missing because their phone battery had died, and that they later appeared and explained their situation.
Drawing attention to the magnitude of the rainfall, Çiftçi stated, "We are experiencing the greatest flood disaster since 1942." Reminding that the General Directorate of Meteorology had issued yellow code warnings for 42 provinces and orange code warnings for 6 provinces on October 14, Çiftçi reported that as of today, yellow code warnings remain in effect for 26 provinces.
Announcing that 9,850 reports have been received across Istanbul, Çiftçi said that approximately 60,000 personnel are working in the field in the warned regions. Stating that the process is being managed from the AFAD coordination center, Çiftçi said, "All units of the state are in the field."
Minister Murat Kurum, on the other hand, stated that search efforts for the missing citizens are continuing and that assessments regarding the damage caused by the flood are ongoing. Emphasizing that the needs of the citizens will be met, Kurum said, "We will put forward a solution where none of our citizens will be victimized."
Kurum expressed that they will work on permanent solutions to prevent similar disasters from happening again in Istanbul. Stating, "We do not want to experience the same pain again," Kurum noted that efforts will continue with the goal of resilient cities.
News Source: 12punto
