Turkey: Cold, snowfall shutters schools, roads

By S.Ahmet Aytac </p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Heavy snowfall and frigid cold across Turkey Wednesday led to the closure of schools and roads.</p> <p>Authorities over half of Turkey's 81 provinces, mostly in central, eastern, and some parts of northern Turkey, announced a school snow day. </p> <p>Due to frost and icing, many village roads and some streets and avenues were closed. Snow removal crews were working hard to reopen roads to traffic. </p> <p>Cities affected by heavy snowfall and school shutdowns include Sivas, Nigde, Kirsehir, Konya, Isparta, Corum, Cankiri, Kirikkkale, Aksaray, Nevsehir, Karaman, Kayseri, Amasya, Yozgat, and Tokat in central Turkey; Kocaeli, Sakarya, Canakkale, Bolu, Duzce, Zonguldak, Samsun, Kastamonu, Ordu, Giresun, Bayburt and Gumushane in northern Anatolia and the Black Sea region; and Mus, Erzurum, Erzincan, Elazig, Bitlis, Bingol, Kars, Ardahan, Hakkari, Malatya, Van, Tunceli, Adıyaman and Agri in eastern Turkey. </p> <p>Remnants of recent snows also affected the capital Ankara, with workers, drivers and students navigating icy roads and sidewalks in the bitter cold mornings. </p> <p>