Istanbul is dealing with the heaviest rainfall since records began in 1942 — roughly 84 years' worth of record-breaking — and it has been deadly. Three people have died, four are missing, and more than 2,700 people have been rescued from floodwaters. Some districts saw around 260 kilograms of rainfall, submerging streets, closing schools and cutting off 16 roads.

The victims include a 14-year-old who was electrocuted in a puddle in the Fatih district and a 34-year-old who fell in Sariyer. Flights have been hit hard too: over 51 flights were diverted from Istanbul Airport and 19 cancelled on Thursday, with more cancellations and hundreds of delays reported at both Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen the following day.

Rain isn't over. Turkey's meteorological service has issued three strong rainfall warnings covering the Marmara region (including northern Istanbul and Kırklareli), the Western Black Sea coast around Düzce, Zonguldak and Sinop, and the Eastern Mediterranean around Adana, Mersin and Hatay. Officials expect the rain to intensify overnight and continue across Istanbul and its surroundings into the weekend.

Istanbul's governor has urged people to stay indoors and avoid driving, basements, underpasses, stream beds and landslide-prone areas. The city's deputy mayor says metro and tram lines including the M9, T1, T3 and T5 are running again and roads are being cleared, but warns residents and visitors to keep away from closed roads and standing water. The UK's Foreign Office hasn't advised against travel, but tells British visitors to monitor local media and follow instructions from local authorities, including evacuation orders.

For anyone with a trip booked, the practical picture is this: because there's no warning against non-essential travel, you generally can't claim a full refund on the grounds of safety concerns, and standard travel insurance won't usually cover cancelling out of caution. Your options depend on your holiday provider's terms. That said, if your flight is disrupted, UK law protects you when departing from a UK airport on any airline, arriving in the UK on an EU or UK carrier, or arriving in the EU on a UK airline — airlines must provide care and assistance during cancellations. It's also worth checking whether your policy includes natural disaster cover, which some do if an event prevents you from reaching your destination.

If you're already in Istanbul, stick to official guidance: avoid flooded underpasses and puddles (electrocution is a real risk), don't shelter in basements, and call 112 in an emergency. Keep an eye on flight status before heading to the airport and build in extra time for getting around the city.

For travellers with trips in the coming days, flexibility is your friend — contact your provider about postponement, monitor the meteorological warnings, and remember that a postponement may be easier than a refund.

Story: The Independent Travel