The Russian Consulate in Istanbul is assisting Russian citizens, whose flights have been canceled due to worsening weather conditions.
"Due to the difficult weather conditions (snowfall persisted in the Istanbul region on January 23 and 24) the work of the main Istanbul airport was suspended (until the end of the day on January 25). The situation is aggravated by snow congestion on the roads, which complicates movement to and from the airport. The consulate maintains contact with the main Turkish and Russian airlines operating from the Istanbul air hub. Within the limits of its capacity and authority, there is assistance to citizens, whose flights were canceled due to weather conditions," reads a statement posted on the consulate's Facebook page.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the press service of Pobeda Airlines told TASS that 370 passengers could not leave Istanbul. They also cannot leave the airport building because of blocked roads.
Heavy snowfall in Istanbul began last Friday, the same day airlines began either redirecting flights to other airports or canceling them altogether. Airlines has announced the extension of the suspension of flights at Istanbul Airport until 00:00 on January 26.
The governmental Department for Emergencies also advised all residents of regions where snowfalls continue, if possible, to stay at home and not go out on the streets. Forecasters predict that precipitation in Istanbul will continue until Friday, their intensity will decrease on Wednesday. The main cause of the problem is the spread of snow and road accidents on the national highways. The highway between Ankara and Istanbul as well as the access roads to Istanbul airport were blocked for several hours.
At the moment, snowfalls most disrupted the usual life and traffic in the northwestern provinces, the region of the Sea of Marmara. There, in some areas, an average of 50-60 centimeters of snow has already fallen. Also, precipitation is noted in some central provinces and in the south of the country. Snow is also promised in the resorts of Antalya, Marmaris and Bodrum.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS