The Turkish State Meteorological Service's warning about potential severe weather conditions has rung true, affecting the daily lives of citizens across the eastern region of Van, Hakkari, Bitlis and Muş.
The adverse weather, characterized by heavy snowfall and blizzards, has caused significant disruptions, impacting transportation and prompting road closures.
The shift from heavy rain to snow in Van has led to a series of challenges, with the Van Metropolitan Municipality reporting transportation disturbances and the closure of roads spanning 272 settlements amid harsh weather conditions.
In response to the situation, municipal snow management teams have sprung into action, diligently working to reopen blocked roads within neighborhoods and hamlets. Efforts are underway to clear snow-covered streets and roads in Van's city center.
Hakkari, too, faced similar obstacles, with reports from the Hakkari Special Provincial Administration indicating that 32 villages and 112 roads across the city had closed due to the onslaught of snow and blizzards. Collaborative efforts between municipal and highway teams are ongoing to remove snow, particularly from main thoroughfares and roads.
The General Directorate of Highways recently communicated via social media that the Yüksekova-Şemdinli highway, previously impassable due to heavy snow, has now been reopened for vehicular traffic.
In Bitlis, Ümit Kurtkan, the road and transportation services manager for the Bitlis Special Provincial Administration, disclosed that the snow had forced the closure of 15 village roads within the city. Kurtkan assured ongoing efforts by snow-clearing teams to swiftly restore access to these routes.
Meanwhile, Muş faced similar challenges, as reported by Şeyhmus Yentür, the secretary-general of the Muş Special Provincial Administration. Yentür indicated that snow had closed a substantial 41 village roads in Muş and its districts. Yentür pledged swift action to reopen these roads, emphasizing readiness for any potential emergency situations to prevent citizens from being adversely affected.