The season’s heaviest snow has halted some of Istanbul's ferry services, shut roads and forced public institutions to close early.

Many parts of Turkiye have been hit with heavy snowfall since last week, which coincided with a winter break at most schools.
Many parts of Turkiye have been hit with heavy snowfall since last week, which coincided with a winter break at most schools. (AA)

Heavy snowfall has hit Turkiye’s largest city Istanbul, shuttering shopping malls, disrupting traffic, and closing a mega-airport.

The season's heaviest snow created a jovial atmosphere across the squares of Istanbul's ancient mosques on Monday, where children built snowmen and tourists posed for selfies.

But it dealt a major headache for the city's 16 million residents, where cars ploughed into each other skidding down steep, sleet-covered streets and highways turned into parking lots.

The snow coated Istanbul's ancient mosques where tourists posed for selfies.
The snow coated Istanbul's ancient mosques where tourists posed for selfies. (AP)

Turkiye's flag-carrier Turkish Airlines said it had cancelled all flights from Istanbul Airport until Tuesday 0100 GMT to ensure "travel safety and for our passengers" and to prevent them from being stranded at airports.

The closure of Istanbul Airport grounded flights stretching from the Middle East and Africa to Europe and Asia.

The storm blocked roads across central and southeastern Turkiye.
The storm blocked roads across central and southeastern Turkiye. (AFP)

Traffic officials also closed majors roads across large parts of central and southeastern Turkiye, a mountainous region first hit by a snowstorm last week.

The Istanbul governor's office warned drivers they would not be able to enter the city from Thrace — a region stretching across the European part of Turkiye to its western border with Bulgaria and Greece.

Some passengers as well as vehicles were stuck due to heavy snow.

Heavy snowfall caused traffic jams in the city’s working-class districts of Zeytinburnu, Bahcelievler, Sariyer, and Kagithane on the European side.
Heavy snowfall caused traffic jams in the city’s working-class districts of Zeytinburnu, Bahcelievler, Sariyer, and Kagithane on the European side. (AA)

Shopping malls closed early, food delivery services shut down and the city's iconic "simit" bagel stalls stood empty because suppliers could not make their way through the snow.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said in a statement that 1,300 homeless people had been given shelter from the frigid weather in various buildings and hotels.

Every day the municipality is also distributing more than two tons of food at 500 locations for stray animals, the statement added.

In Pendik on the city’s Asian side, a fire truck trying to rescue a vehicle got stuck on the road itself.
In Pendik on the city’s Asian side, a fire truck trying to rescue a vehicle got stuck on the road itself. (AA)

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu told Reuters news agency that the snowfall, while causing travel issues, would ease the dry conditions since the summer when the capacity of dams dwindled to multi-year lows.

"Istanbul is dependent on the snow's blessing. If it doesn't experience every season as it is intended, different risks await," Imamoglu said.

He said some 10-15 cm of snow had been recorded in the city and 25 cm (9.84 inches) in rural areas.

Some passengers as well as vehicles were stuck due to heavy snow.
Some passengers as well as vehicles were stuck due to heavy snow. (AA)

Nationwide, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said some 4,600 people were stranded due to weather.

More than 6,700 were taken to shelters, while thousands of containers of food supplies were delivered to those in need.

Most schools were already closed on Monday for a two-week semester break.
Most schools were already closed on Monday for a two-week semester break. (AA)
Source: AA