Snow suspends classes for bused students in Van and Trabzon

Classes for students in the school transport programme were suspended for one day on Monday, November 9, in seven districts of Van and two in Trabzon because of snowfall and weather conditions threatening transport safety. According to the decisions reported by Onedio, only students covered by the programme will be excused from classes; there is no blanket closure of schools.

Which students are covered?

The decision in Van covers the districts of Çaldıran, Muradiye, Tuşba, İpekyolu, Gürpınar, Edremit and Erciş.
In Trabzon, classes for students in the school transport programme will not take place in Tonya and Şalpazarı.
The suspension was announced for one day only, Monday, November 9.
The reasons given include heavy snow, ice, blizzard conditions and potential transport disruption.

What students and families need to know about the scope

Whether a student is covered depends not only on their district but also on whether they are enrolled in the school transport programme. Being in one of the named districts does not, by itself, mean that every student is excused from classes. The announcements apply to students covered by the programme and should not be treated as a general school closure.

Why were classes suspended in Van?

Heavy snow that began in Van in the evening, followed by temperatures falling to between 1 and 2 degrees below zero and icy conditions, made travel difficult. According to Onedio, the Muradiye district governor’s office cited heavy snow and ice, while the Çaldıran district governor’s office also cited blizzard conditions. The Tuşba district governor’s office made its decision following assessments with the Regional Directorate of Meteorology.

Snow blanketed Van city centre towards morning, leaving drivers struggling and causing intermittent traffic disruption. The 14th Regional Directorate of Meteorology forecast very cloudy conditions with intermittent snow throughout the day and warned drivers about ice.

Travel also affected in the Black Sea highlands

In Trabzon, snow covered Uzungöl in Çaykara, the higher parts of Tonya and the Kadırga Plateau, as well as Şalpazarı’s high-altitude neighbourhoods and the Sis Dağı and Alaca plateaus. The decision affecting classes in Tonya and Şalpazarı was made as these weather conditions affected higher elevations.

Snow also affected higher elevations in neighbouring provinces. On Rize’s Ayder Plateau, snow reached a depth of 20 centimetres in some places. Snow fell in the higher parts of Ordu’s Akkuş, Aybastı, Korgan, Kumru and Kabadüz districts. In Artvin, snow covered many high-altitude villages and plateaus, while travel on the Borçka-Camili road was disrupted at times.

Questions about the suspension of classes for bused students

Are all schools in Van and Trabzon closed?

No. The reported decisions apply only to students in the school transport programme in seven districts of Van and two in Trabzon; they are not blanket school closures.