Severe weather disrupts traffic in Istanbul

Istanbul, Nov 24 A storm and heavy rainfall affecting northwestern Turkey disrupted air and sea travel in Istanbul, the country's largest city.

Due to the adverse weather conditions on Saturday, some flights at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport, Istanbul's two international airports, were either cancelled or delayed, according to local media reports.

Many planes were diverted to other cities after being unable to land on the runway due to strong winds, reports Xinhua, quoting Ihlas news agency.

Turkish Airlines (THY), the national flag carrier, announced on social media platform X that the Meteorological Emergency Committee had implemented a 10 per cent capacity restriction at the airports due to the strong storm.

"As a result, 38 flights (10 domestic and 28 international) scheduled for November 23 from Istanbul Airport have been cancelled," Yahya Ustun, senior vice president of media relations at THY, added.

Sabiha Gokcen Airport also announced that 10 per cent of the flights scheduled until 3:00 p.m. (local time) had been cancelled.

The Istanbul Municipality said on X that the ongoing heavy rain and storm are expected to continue until Sunday.

Meanwhile, Ihlas reported that, due to the strong winds affecting the Bosphorus Strait, a 190-metre-long bulk carrier was left adrift by the strong current near the Asian shores.

In a statement from City Lines, which operates ferries commuting across the strait between the Asian and European sides, it was announced that some commuter services have been suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

Source: IANS