HISTORIC SNOW HITS ISTANBUL

[Mark]

SE Europe and SW Asia are suffering historic blasts of cold and snow this week. Blizzards hit the Turkish city of Istanbul Thursday into Friday, bringing the major metropolis to a near standstill. The conditions are set to extend through Monday, too, with overnight lows dipping below 0C — an incredibly feat rare for the time of year.

This isn’t Turkey’s first taste of debilitating snow this season. Far from it. It’s been a winter of truly historic proportions, with persistent rounds of heavy snow hitting the nation’s mountains, metropolises, and shores alike — conditions which contributed to the country experiencing its largest power outage ever.

On Thursday, and into the small hours of Friday, blizzards were noted across a host of Turkish districts. Many schools, businesses, and roads have been shut as a result, and public officials have been put on administrative leave to help reduce the traffic.

Below is footage of Istanbul’s famous Galata Tower being blasted by heavy spring snow:
https://electroverse.net/snow-hits-istanbul-48-5f-logged-at-peter-sinks-utah-halo-cme-to-strike-earth/

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[Mark]

Istanbul was on Thursday battling to recover from flooding caused by what officials said was the heaviest rainfall in the city since records began more than 80 years ago, as the downpour continued.

The rain began lashing Turkey's largest city in earnest on Wednesday morning and intensified throughout the day, causing chaos and flash flooding, with footage showing cars being dragged away by the fast-flowing waters.

"We are talking here about the highest level of precipitation in Istanbul since records began in 1942," Istanbul governor Davut Gul said.

Two people died in the floods, one of them a 14-year-old boy who was electrocuted when he stepped into a puddle in the Balat area. He was rushed to hospital but medical personnel were unable to save him, officials said.
https://www.sott.net/article/508911-Two-dead-as-Istanbul-endures-heaviest-rainfall-in-80-years-cars-washed-down-streets-by-floodwaters-after-8-inches-of-rain