Severe weather disrupts air traffic across Türkiye

In Türkiye, heavy rains and strong winds have caused significant disruptions in air traffic across major cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya.

Flights destined for Istanbul International Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport faced difficulties, with some redirected to other cities such as Izmir, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

Turkish Transportation Minister Abdülkadir Uraloglu confirmed the cancellations and delays at Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya airports due to the adverse weather conditions. "All necessary measures in connection with the bad weather have been taken by us," he stated.

Turkey's Disaster Management Department has issued yellow and orange weather alerts for 44 out of the country’s 81 provinces for November 23.

Turkish Airlines announced the cancellation of 38 flights in and out of Istanbul International Airport in anticipation of a hurricane. Sabiha Gokcen Airport also reported a 10 per cent cancellation rate for its arrival and departure flights by 3 p.m.

The heavy downpour and winds, reaching speeds of up to 22 m/s, have also led to the suspension of ferry services across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul.

In a separate incident, a landslide in the Çayeli district of Rize province early on November 19 resulted in one fatality and three injuries. The victim was trapped under debris while sleeping in their bedroom. The landslide, which occurred around 6 a.m., was triggered by days of heavy rain and destabilized soil from a recent 4.7 magnitude earthquake, burying the ground floors of two nearby apartment buildings.

By Tamilla Hasanova