Flood hits 19-year-old clothing store in Sarıyer's Ayazağa, losses put at 7 million 500 thousand liras

Heavy rain that hit Istanbul on 14 October flooded many homes and businesses in Sarıyer's Ayazağa neighborhood, and vehicles were swept away. A 19-year-old family-run ready-to-wear clothing store in the neighborhood was also affected.

Play video: Flood hits 19-year-old clothing store in Sarıyer's Ayazağa, losses put at 7 million 500 thousand liras (Duration 0:52)

Water filled the store quickly and with great force. The owner's son and daughter-in-law, who were inside at the time, tried to get out. In the roughly 600-square-meter store, water rose as high as 1 meter 70 centimeters; products, stands and equipment were left in water and mud and became unusable. The moment water filled the store was caught on a security camera.

Owner: "We are a 19-year-old business"

Store owner Kenan Sümer said the flood caused about 7 million 500 thousand liras in damage. Sümer said it had rained all day, and toward evening a large mass of water came from Dereboyu Street toward Atatürk Street, sending very forceful, pressurized water through the door.

We are a 19-year-old business. It is painful to see 19 years vanish in 1-2 minutes.

Kenan Sümer

Sümer said they had cleared the debris, that İSTAÇ and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality teams had come, and that cleanup was nearly finished. He estimated that drying, painting and reinstalling the stands could take about a month and a half to recover. He said he would try to get back on his feet.