Heavy snowfall hits Turkey

By Emrah Gokmen, Turan Kazak, Omer Faruk Simsek, Zehra Melek Cat, Cuneyt Celik, Sezgin Pancar

ISTANBUL (AA) - Heavy snowfalls across Turkey have caused the closure of schools in nearly half of the country's 81 provinces on Wednesday, officials said.

Authorities in 39 provinces, mostly in eastern Turkey but also in central Anatolia, said schools had been shut temporarily.

The governor of the central province of Aksaray said 57 people had been injured in a multiple-vehicle accident involving 36 trucks, buses and cars on the Aksaray-Adana highway.

Aykut Pekmez added that none of the injuries sustained were life-threatening.

Meanwhile, six hunters including a Russian citizen who were stuck due to the snow, have been rescued in the Anamur district of the southern province of Mersin, the municipality stated.

Officials from Turkey's Airports Authority told Anadolu Agency that certain flights to the eastern cities of Erzurum and Kars had been canceled due to the snowfall.

Turkish Airlines also announced that four domestic and international flights had been canceled early Wednesday.

The snowfall and cold weather are expected to last until Monday.