Thousands stranded in Istanbul, Athens due to snow

Hundreds of cars and trucks blocked a main road at Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday. Pic/AP

Rescue crews in Istanbul and Athens scrambled on Tuesday to clear roads that came to a standstill after a massive cold front and snowstorms hit Turkey and Greece, leaving countless people and vehicles in both cities stranded overnight in freezing conditions.

Highways and roads in and around Istanbul became clogged on Monday after the storm pounded the city of about 16 million people accumulating more than 80 centimeters (31 inches) of snow in some areas.

Stranded motorists spent the night in cars or abandoned their vehicles to walk home or take crowded public transportation. In Athens, rescue crews were trying to free around 200-300 drivers trapped on a major highway.

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