On October 16, 2026, heavy rainfall began in Sakarya, Turkey, and continued to affect the city. By the evening, the downpour had intensified, triggering landslides in multiple parts of the province. The rain saturated slopes, loosening earth and stone that began to slide downhill.
One of the most consequential slides struck the Sakarya-Bilecik road at the Doğançay intersection in the Geyve district. The landslide buried the carriageway, forcing the closure of the D-650 road that links Bilecik to the Doğançay and Maksudiye neighborhoods. With the artery shut, residents of those two neighborhoods found themselves cut off from the rest of the city.
As soon as the slide was reported, emergency teams were dispatched to the site. Police units arrived to maintain security and direct traffic away from the unstable zone. The Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality, its water agency SASKİ, and the State Water Works (DSİ) brought in machinery to begin clearing debris. Workers started hauling away mud and rock in hopes of reopening the route as quickly as conditions allowed.
Workers started hauling away mud and rock in hopes of reopening the route as quickly as conditions allowed.
While crews worked on the road, the rain’s impact spread elsewhere. In Karasu, landslides damaged houses, tearing at walls and foundations. In Kocaali, an entire neighborhood was submerged by floodwaters that rose with the relentless rain. Further inland, the Karanlıkdere Mahallesi suffered its own blow: the deluge caused a house to collapse and flooded four or five other homes. Residents reported that the flood carried rocks and soil from the surrounding mountains straight into their streets.
Yılmaz Koca, the muhtar of Karanlıkdere Mahallesi, described the scene in his own words. He said, "Aşırı yağış aldık; sel dağdan ne kadar taş ve toprak varsa mahalleye getirdi. Bir evimizde göçük oluştu, 4-5 evimizi su bastı. Çok şükür can kaybımız yok. Devlet-millet el ele bunun altundan kalkacağız." In a second statement he added, "Devlet-millet el ele bunun altundan kalkacağız."