A runway littered with snow, and planes overgrown with snowdrifts before our eyes. Such a picture from the windows of the international terminal is observed by passengers at the Istanbul airport, including hundreds of our compatriots. “Turkish Airlines” – canceled all flights until at least midnight. Other carriers are taking similar measures. There is no panic yet. The authorities promise to partially restore the operation of the terminal in the coming hours. Operators are involved in extending hotel stays, and diplomats help resolve issues related to flights. Including Russian citizen Gerard Depardieu, who is waiting for bad weather in the VIP room.
“When we went to the airport in a taxi, it was already snowing. It turns out that we have been here for a day. We were told which gate, we are all there. And we slept there – who managed to lie down on a chair, who on the floor. lucky. We try not to leave from there, we are waiting for some information, they don’t tell us anything concrete yet. It is not known until what time the airport will be closed, the hotel is also not provided to us. There are families with children, for some reason they are also not given a separate bed “, says Yana Bombina, a passenger stuck at the Istanbul airport.
“We are not upset, because we understand that there are also children here, there are elderly people. It is harder for them. And there are people who are stuck in buses, and we sincerely do not envy them. Therefore, we are warm, they feed us,” says another passenger Kristina Maslikova.
In total, there are now up to seven thousand Russian tourists. In the current weather conditions, you can hardly call it rest. The transport system of Istanbul is completely paralyzed. Navigation along the Bosphorus is also closed. Utilities to take the situation under control until they can. In order to somehow restore traffic, residents were forbidden to use personal transport. Similar problems are being solved by the authorities of other cities, where snow falls even less frequently. In sunny Antalya, this happened for the first time in 29 years. To see the precipitation, which is abnormal for this climatic zone, people did not go to bed at night.
Unprecedented beauty of snow-covered sights is posted on social networks by residents and vacationers in Greece. The snow-covered Acropolis collects thousands of likes and comments. But even more feedback is generated by videos with stories about how local utilities solve the problem.
“Everything was covered with snow. Even the fence on my terrace broke down. Cars are slipping, no one can go anywhere, everything is standing still, they are honking, the snow has been falling for the seventh hour, everyone has summer tires – they don’t understand how to drive at all,” says a local a citizen.
Walking, according to eyewitnesses, is not easier: neither sidewalks nor the roadway are treated with reagents. In Athens alone, authorities have evacuated 3,500 stranded drivers. It is curious that the operator of one of the highways promises to pay two thousand euros to everyone who is stuck on the way. The corresponding order was given by the Greek Prime Minister. But those who are left without electricity are not entitled to bonuses. Emergency services promise to restore power supply in the coming days. Due to the consequences of the strongest snowfall in the last 40 years, Tuesday, and in some areas even Wednesday, have been declared holidays in Greece.