Heavy snow hits Ankara, four dead

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Heavy snowfall brought life to a standstill in Turkey’s capital yesterday and caused a traffic accident that claimed four lives.

A bus traveling from Van to Istanbul slid off the road on the Ankara Northern Beltway, breaking through the roadside barrier and hurtling down the shoulder. A 2-year-old girl was among the four people confirmed dead.

Another 59 people were injured, some of them seriously, when a truck collided with a minibus on the same road, leaving 10 passengers injured, according to the Anatolia news agency.

The Ankara Metropolitan Municipality cleared the major roads in central Ankara by the morning, although the snow continued to fall throughout the night. Smaller roads and streets remained blocked, and a series of minor traffic accidents were reported around the city. The Ankara Governor’s Office announced two days off for pregnant women, those with chronic health conditions and disabled public employees.

Snowfall is expected to continue until the weekend.