Heavy snowfall paralyses Istanbul
A heavy snowstorm paralysed life in Istanbul yesterday, with hundreds of flights cancelled and the Bosphorus closed to shipping traffic.
The snowstorm dumped almost 40 centimetres (16 inches) of snow in parts of the Turkish metropolis overnight, causing havoc on roads as travellers sought to leave the city for the weekend getaway.
For those not travelling, the snow however provided a rare chance to see Istanbul's famous minaret and dome-studded skyline caked in a white layer of snow.
Flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) cancelled some 500 flights from both the main Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen airports, with the snow also bringing poor visibility.
Four THY intercontinental flights -- from India, Maldives, South Africa and Vietnam -- bound for Istanbul were diverted to the southern city of Gaziantep north of Syria, the Dogan news agency said.
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