Turkey: Heavy snowfall disrupts roads, shuts schools

By Abdullah Catli and Ahmet Akbiyik

ANKARA (AA) - Heavy snowfall and frigid cold across Turkey led to the closure of schools and roads on Wednesday.

Officials in 20 provinces out of 81 announced a school snow day after mostly central, eastern, and some parts of northern Turkey were covered in white.

Due to frost and icing, many village roads and some streets and avenues were closed. Snow removal crews were working hard to reopen roads to traffic.

According to the governor of central Sivas province, at least 20 people were injured in a bus accident on the Sivas-Kayseri highway due to snowy weather.

Additionally, governor of the Mediterranean province of Antalya told Anadolu Agency that the Antalya-Konya highway was shut down due to heavy snow, while those trapped along the road were assisted.

At least 68 vehicles stuck in 12 rural roads in the eastern province of Mus were recovered, while some people trapped in frigid weather along the Erzurum-Bingol highway east of the country were rescued.

Provinces affected by heavy snowfall and school shutdowns include Sivas, Konya, Aksaray, Kayseri in central Turkey; Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bolu, Zonguldak, Kastamonu, Ordu, Giresun and Gumushane in northern Anatolia and the Black Sea region; and Mus, Kars, Ardahan, Erzurum, Bingol, Malatya, Van, Adıyaman and Agri in eastern Turkey.