Severe Snowfall Disrupts Life in 18 Provinces of Turkiye
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Synopsis
On February 24, heavy snowfall and blizzards affected daily life in 18 provinces in Turkiye, leading to the closure of 2,173 roads. Local authorities are urging residents to stay safe amid harsh weather conditions.
Key Takeaways
- Heavy snowfall has blocked 2,173 roads.
- 19 neighborhoods in Van province are isolated.
- Snow depth reached 40 cm in Ercis district.
- Avalanche risks hinder road-clearing efforts.
- Authorities advise against unnecessary travel.
Ankara, Feb 24 (NationPress) Intense snowfall and blizzards have caused significant disruptions to everyday activities across 18 provinces in Turkiye, resulting in the closure of 2,173 roads, according to the state-owned TRT.
In the Metropolitan Municipality of eastern Van province, access to 19 neighbourhoods and 35 hamlets has been severed due to heavy snow accumulation and blizzard conditions. In the Ercis district of the province, where snow depths have reached 40 centimetres, street-clearing operations are currently underway, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
In eastern Mus province, teams are diligently working to reduce the impact on residents, even though 46 village roads in the area remain blocked.
Similarly, in southeastern Bitlis province, local transportation has been heavily disrupted, with 50 village roads completely inaccessible.
In eastern Hakkari, of the 34 settlements that were isolated due to severe snowfall and blizzards on Friday, 32 have been successfully reconnected thanks to the efforts of snow-clearing teams.
However, risks of avalanches have hindered progress on the roads leading to Alan village in the Semdinli district and Aktoprak hamlet in the Yuksekova district.
In the Black Sea region, snowfall has notably affected higher-altitude villages. In Kastamonu, transportation has been disrupted in mountainous regions. Sinop has reported 282 village roads closed due to snow, with the provincial governor's office warning that adverse weather conditions, including snow and ice, are expected to last until midday Monday.
In Trabzon, snowfall that started along the coast in the early hours has intensified, impacting both transportation and daily life. Strong winds accompanying the snow have also caused high waves in the Black Sea, grounding fishing boats at ports. Similarly, in Rize, snowfall has resulted in 81 village roads being closed, with municipal teams actively working to clear these routes.
Eastern Erzurum province has experienced the closure of eight neighborhood roads due to heavy snow and strong winds. In Ardahan, four village roads remain impassable.
Authorities across the affected provinces are urging residents to take precautions against severe weather and to avoid unnecessary travel until road-clearing operations are completed.
