Snowfall blankets Turkey’s southeast
ISTANBUL - Heavy snowfalls have caused problems for those living in the eastern parts of Turkey, as many roads remain blocked, yet the resort town of Uludağ has welcomed the snow, as many people are expected to converge on the ski resort.
The snow stopped yesterday but not before it affected life in the eastern part of Turkey. Snow blocked 207 village roads in the eastern province of Ağrı, 169 roads in Bitlis, 125 roads in Van and 101 roads in the southeastern province of Hakkari, reported the Anatolia news agency. Snowfalls have been replaced by cold weather in the eastern provinces. A total of 186 roads are blocked in the Black Sea provinces of Zonguldak, Karabük and Bartın and in the Central Anatolia province of Kayseri and eastern province of Bolu.
Drivers are warned to take care as snow and ice, especially on the Bolu mountain road, which connects Istanbul to Ankara and eastern Anatolia. The temperature was minus 14 in Bolu on Thursday night. Erol Öztabak, the head of Bolu Meteorology, said they expected more snow to fall late Friday night on the mountain road.
Some provinces, such as Bolu, are taking different measures to counter the cold snap. Nurdoğan Gümüş, 42, who in the final days of her pregnancy, has been brought into hospital in case of further road blocks.
The lowest temperatures recorded so far were minus 24 in Erzurum, minus 22 in Ağrı, minus 20 in Kars, minus 8 in Ardahan, minus 7 in Erzincan and minus 4 in Iğdır. The temperature will lower another 3 degrees, according to authorities.
The road between Hakkari and Şırnak provinces, which closed down due to an avalanche has been cleared and was reopened to traffic yesterday. Snow reached depths of 45 cm in Ağrı, with the Palandöken ski resorts reaching 24 cm. Kars received 15 cm and Ardahan 14.
The hotels and ski centers in Uludağ, located in the western province of Bursa, on the other hand, are thrilled with news of more snow, as big crows are expected over New Year. Meteorologists said Uludağ would see more snow next Thursday. The snow was at 78 cm and the temperature was minus 6 degrees in Uludağ yesterday.
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