Heavy snow, thunderstorms pummel Turkey, disrupting transport

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The heavy snowfall, which started in Istanbul on the night of Dec 10, has continued at intervals for two days, worsening city traffic and crippling intra- and inter-city transportation. CİHAN photo

Heavy snowfall and winter storms that gripped Turkey led to the cancellation of over 80 flights and prompted major traffic disruptions across the country Dec. 12.

The inclement weather forced Turkish Airlines (THY) to cancel 55 domestic and 26 international flights. While a majority of the disrupted flights were either to or from Istanbul, around 16 flights between Ankara and the eastern provinces of Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Muş, Şırnak, Van and Kars were not operated.

Private carrier Onur Airlines’ Diyarbakır service and Atlas Jet’s three Antalya services were also canceled.

The heavy snowfall, which started in Istanbul on the night of Dec. 10, has continued at intervals for two days, worsening city traffic and crippling intra- and inter-city transportation.

A state airport official said that more than 200 flights around the country had been canceled since Dec. 10, Agence France-Presse reported Dec. 12.

Traffic was the worst hit by the snow in Istanbul, despite measures taken by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Nine people were injured and a total of 37 accidents occurred only on the night of Dec. 11 due to poor road conditions in the city.

Meanwhile, more than 500 village roads have been blocked in eastern Turkey, which has been blanketed in white after heavy blizzards.

The Aegean city of İzmir issued warnings about strong storms, while the Mediterranean coast has also been affected by thunderstorms, causing a number of boats to sink and a number of fishermen to become lost at sea.