The snowfall that has hit Istanbul in recent hours has created major problems for traffic and transport, forcing drivers to slow down and triggering several accidents, as well as causing delays and cancellations at airports. The governor of Istanbul has also announced the closure of schools in several districts of the Turkish metropolis.
According to news agencies in Turkey, as meteorologists had warned, snow began to fall heavily from early in the morning in the higher elevations of Istanbul, particularly affecting districts in the European part of the city such as Başakşehir, Arnavutköy, Beylikdüzü, Esenyurt or Büyükçekmece, while on the Asian side of the city roofs and roads were also covered in white in several districts, including Ümraniye, Beykoz, Kartal, Pendik or Üsküdar.
Transport problems due to snow
The snow deposited on the asphalt caused major complications for transport and traffic; buses and minibuses encountered serious problems in climbing streets in steep areas, and in districts such as Başakşehir or Arnavutköy some roads had to be closed due to the problems experienced by vehicles, leaving some cars stranded and forcing several interventions by municipal and firefighting teams.
Motorcyclists also had a difficult time: many early morning commuters on motorbikes were forced to slow down drastically due to slippery road conditions, and in some cases there were images of motorcyclists pushing their motorbikes uphill because of the impossibility of riding in the snow.
On the other hand, traffic on the D-100 motorway between Kadıköy and Kartal on the Asian side of Istanbul slowed down considerably due to the snowfall; traffic jams were also observed on the Trans-European TEM motorway between Ataşehir and Sancaktepe. On the European side of the city vehicles also experienced problems driving on the D-100 in Avcılar, Bakırköy, Zeytinburnu, Halıcıoğlu or Çağlayan, and heavy traffic conditions were reported on the TEM motorway as it passes through Avcılar, Gaziosmanpaşa and Kağıthane.
According to data from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, traffic congestion averaged 78% in the city this morning, with 67% on the European side and reaching up to 90% on the Asian side. The snowfall also disrupted air traffic, causing the cancellation of at least 5% of flights scheduled for Sabiha Gökçen airport in Asia, while at least 10% of flights cancellations have already been announced for tomorrow (Wednesday).
Snowfall forces school closures
Heavy snowfall also forced the governor of Istanbul to order the closure of schools in seven districts of the city: Avcılar, Arnavutköy, Başakşehir, Beykoz, Beylikdüzü, Esenyurt and Sultangazi. The governor’s office warned in a statement that snowfall will increase overnight and is expected to intensify tomorrow, but declined to implement a general suspension of educational activities across the city arguing that ‘the snowfall that is affecting the northern districts of Istanbul has not had a significant impact on the south and centre of the city’.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Disaster Coordination Centre (AKOM) also warned of worsening snowfall from late today, with maximum temperatures barely reaching 5°C and minimum temperatures that could drop below 0°C at night; therefore, city authorities have asked citizens to avoid using cars unless absolutely necessary.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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