Snowfall, fierce storms batter many provinces

ISTANBUL

The confluence of extreme weather events such as sleet, heavy rainfall and fierce storms has besieged nearly all provinces of the country, with most of the cities, including Istanbul, experiencing the first snowfall of the season.

With the Turkish State Meteorology Service issuing “yellow” and “orange” alerts for 72 out of the country's 81 provinces, meteorological experts conveyed that snowfall, particularly in regions with high altitudes, will persist throughout the week.

“Orange alert” is rarely issued, which signifies a possibility of damage and loss in a “dangerous weather situation.”

Enduring a prolonged battle against drought and facing a disquieting drop in water levels in several dams, Istanbul experienced incessant downpours throughout the day on Nov. 18, transforming into snowfall in the late hours.

The snowfall, particularly impactful in the northern quarters of the city, intermittently continued across the entire province from early on Nov. 19.

Residents attempting to witness the season's inaugural snowfall at Çamlıca Hill in Üsküdar encountered challenging moments, while those caught in the first snowfall on Istanbul's iconic İstiklal Avenue immortalized the occasion through photographs.

The snowfall swiftly blanketed roads, trees, vehicles and buildings, while the day-long rain and storm in Istanbul escalated traffic congestion on roads, leading to more than a dozen accidents and significant material damages.

The storm also prompted the cancellation of nearly 200 flights from the city's two airports. Istanbul Governor Davut Gül noted the activation of emergency response teams to address potential disruptions, while municipal teams were on high alert due to the intense rainfall.

Throughout the province, 5,045 personnel, 2,104 vehicles and machinery were mobilized to mitigate the impacts of the weather.

Both intra-city and inter-city ferry services were canceled in Istanbul and the western province of İzmir.

In İzmir, torrential rain resulted in flooding in numerous homes and workplaces.

In the northwestern province of Kocaeli, the strong storm caused severe damage to fishing boats along the shore, with some even sinking.

On a busy highway in the southern city of Antalya, fallen trees due to the storm and rain temporarily blocked the road, but traffic returned to normalcy following the efforts of the gendarmerie and fire brigade.

Facing a similar fate to the north and west of the country, with adverse weather conditions prevailing in the Black Sea region, cargo ships struggled to navigate and sought refuge in Sinop.

In the central and eastern regions, numerous provinces received orange-coded warnings, anticipating a five-degree drop in temperatures.

The bureau forecasted the continuation of precipitation and storms nationwide until Nov. 21, with a slight rise in temperatures thereafter.

This bout of snowfall and storms came after the bureau’s report indicating that Türkiye experienced its warmest October in the past 53 years last month.

The report highlighted a 26-percent reduction in precipitation compared to October of the previous year, particularly underscoring a "severe drought" in western provinces.