Istanbul snowfall breaks 28-year record

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

The heavy snowfall that has been paralyzing Istanbul over the past three days has broken a 28-year record in the city, according to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

On Feb. 19, the snow reached heights of 75 cm in the Çatalca district, in the westernmost region of greater Istanbul. In more central neighborhoods, such as Beşiktaş, Şişli and Kadıköy, the snow depth was measured at 20-32 cm.

In March 1987, 63 cm of snow was measured in Istanbul, marking a winter that many of the city’s residents still remember.

The record snowfall has paralyzed many areas of the city, and many locals took to social media to complain that the 1987 snow storm did not wreck Istanbul to the same extent, despite the fact that it had hit the city for a longer period of time.

The municipality has stressed that it is on “alert” with 4,815 personnel and 1,028 vehicles to keep to the roads open.

“Our teams used 18,543 tons of salt and 926 tons of [chemical] solution to keep the roads open,” a municipality statement said, adding that 437 homeless people have been taken into shelters to be provided with food and hot drinks. The shelters are also used by citizens stuck on the roads during the storm.

Scores of traffic accidents have occurred throughout the city, with one tram derailing in the Topkapı neighborhood and a broken power line halting traffic for hours in Avcılar on Feb. 19.

Some 189 trees have been upended in several neighborhoods over the past two days, the municipality also stated.