Authorities in three districts of Istanbul have banned swimming in the sea from August 13 due to high wave height. The bans, announced by the district governorates of Şile, Arnavutköy and Sarıyer, cite safety concerns and are issued under Provincial Administration Law No. 5442.
The Şile District Governorate prohibited swimming in the district's coasts, bays and beaches on August 13–14, based on data from the Turkish General Directorate of Meteorology and Windfinder. The Arnavutköy District Governorate issued a similar ban for August 13–16, while the Sarıyer District Governorate closed Kısırkaya Public Beach to sea and beach entry on August 13–14.
3 districts
Istanbul districts with swimming bans due to high wave risk.
The restrictions affect coastal areas along the Black Sea, according to reports. The Governor's Office stated that gendarmerie teams would conduct inspections in the region and requested citizens to comply with the ban.
Similar measures have been reported in neighboring provinces. In Tekirdağ, swimming is banned at all beaches in the Saray district today due to adverse weather and sea conditions, according to a report. In Kırklareli, the Demirköy and Vize district governorates announced bans on swimming at all beaches in Kıyıköy and İğneada townships.
The Kandıra District Governorate in Kocaeli banned swimming at all beaches for two days, August 14–15, due to expected adverse weather and sea conditions, according to a report. Overall, swimming is reported to be banned in seven provinces due to adverse weather conditions.
Updates
Following the initial bans in Şile, Arnavutköy, and Sarıyer, the Trabzon Governorate verifiedly prohibited swimming across the entire province on August 14–15, 2026, while Bartın’s Governorate confirmed a targeted ban at eleven specific beaches from August 14–16; additionally, Giresun issued a verified warning against sea entry due to expected wave heights of 1 to 1.5 meters, and single-source reports confirmed similar restrictions in Sakarya’s Kaynarca and Kocaali districts, Bartın’s provincial council, and Akçakoca in Düzce.
Following the initial bans in Şile, Arnavutköy, and Sarıyer, the Trabzon Governorate verifiedly prohibited swimming across the entire province on August 14–15, 2026, while Bartın’s Governorate confirmed a targeted ban at eleven specific beaches from August 14–16, 2026; additionally, Giresun issued a verified warning against sea entry due to expected 1–1.5 meter waves, and multiple Sakarya districts—including Kaynarca and Kocaali—along with Bartın’s provincial council and Akçakoca in Düzce, enacted restrictions through August 16, though some claims, such as Tekirdağ’s Saray ban and the total of eight provinces affected, remain unverified.
On August 14–16, 2026, the Bartın Governorate officially banned swimming at eleven specific beaches — Güzelcehisar, Hatipler, İnkumu, Kızılkum, Mugada, Bozköy, Çakraz, Göçgün, Kapısuyu, Karaman, and Tekkeönü — due to high waves and strong currents, while the Trabzon Governorate imposed a full provincial swimming ban for two days; additionally, Sakarya’s Kaynarca and Kocaali districts, along with Düzce’s Akçakoca District, closed all marine access through August 16, and Giresun issued a public warning citing expected wave heights of 1 to 1.5 meters.
Following the initial bans in Istanbul’s Şile, Arnavutköy, and Sarıyer districts, the Trabzon Governorate verifiedly prohibited swimming across the entire province on August 14–15, 2026, while the Bartın Governorate confirmed a targeted ban at eleven specific beaches from August 14–16; additionally, Giresun issued a verified warning against sea entry due to expected 1–1.5 meter waves, and multiple Sakarya districts—including Kaynarca and Kocaali—along with Bartın’s coastal areas, extended restrictions through August 16, with single-source reports also citing similar measures in Akçakoca (Düzce) and Marmaraereğlisi and Şarköy (Tekirdağ).
