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		</div><p>Rescue crews were forging ahead with efforts to clear major throughways in and around Istanbul that were clogged by a massive snow storm that hit the megacity and left countless people and vehicles stranded overnight in below-freezing conditions.</p>
<p>Roads in the city came to a standstill on Monday after the storm pounded Istanbul, a city of some 16 million people which straddles the European and Asian continents, accumulating more than 31 inches of snow in some areas.</p>
<p>Stranded motorists either spent the night in cars, abandoned their vehicles to walk home or crowded metros and other public transportation. A lucky few were rescued and taken to hotels.</p>
<p>The city’s Disaster Coordination Centre, or AKOM, says an Icelandic low-pressure system is behind the cold front and precipitation affecting most of the country.</p>
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<p>The storm also caused havoc in neighbouring Greece, snarling traffic in Athens and putting most public transport out of action.</p>
<p>Flurries are forecast to continue through to Wednesday.</p>
<p>Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said more heavy snowfall was likely on Tuesday evening.</p>
<p>AKOM teams and other units worked overnight to clear snowy roads and highways but abandoned vehicles hampered their operations.</p>
<p>Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya urged motorists to return to their vehicles and move them.</p>
<p>A flight suspension in and out of Istanbul Airport on Monday was extended over safety concerns, while the governor’s office banned the use of private cars until the same time.</p>
<p>Istanbul’s second airport, Sabiha Gokcen, was operating limited services.</p>
<p>“Nothing is moving. The snow ploughs can’t even reach us,” Ahmet Odabasi, 40, one of thousands of travellers stranded overnight on a road west of Istanbul said by telephone.</p>
<p>“I have been stuck here for 12 hours now. I am lucky that I have gas, food and water,” said the motorist, who was driving to Istanbul from the city of Edirne, near the border with Greece.</p>
<p>AKOM manager Selcuk Tutuncu told the AP that 40,000 tons of salt have been used since the beginning of the storm.</p>
<p>“Right now there are over 1,500 vehicles and over 7,000 personnel working out in the field nonstop,” Mr Tutuncu said.</p>
<p>On Monday, authorities in Istanbul suspended intercity bus services and blocked travel to the city from Turkey’s northwestern Thrace region.</p>
<p>The Istanbul governor’s office announced that civil servants would be allowed to stay at home Tuesday, except for those employed in security, health and transportation sectors.</p>
<p>Schools across Turkey were already closed for a winter break.</p>
<p>Mr Imamoglu said the municipality has provided shelter to around 1,500 homeless people.</p>
<p>Another 1,500 people stranded at a bus terminal due to the suspension of intercity services were taken to hotels or hostels.</p>
<p>Teams have left some two tons of food for stray cats and dogs, Mr Imamoglu said.</p>
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