Record snowfall in spring in Istanbul, Turkey

A blanket of heavy snow covered Turkey’s largest city Istanbul on Friday, disrupting air traffic, bringing sea and land transport to a halt, and forcing school closures. The country’s airlines, including the flag carrier Turkish Airlines, have canceled most of their flights in Istanbul for Friday and Saturday due to the blizzard. Intercity bus services from all the terminals have been suspended, and entrance from Anatolia and Thrace to the city remained close for trucks. Sea traffic through the Bosphorus Strait, which connects the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, has ceased due to low visibility. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu announced that the blizzard would be even stronger on Saturday and asked Istanbul residents not to go out unless necessary. Governor of Istanbul Province Ali Yerlikaya earlier announced all the schools and universities across the city were closed until March 14, and public employees were given administrative leave. Istanbul had been hit by another strong snowfall in January, which gr