Heavy snow, blizzards close highway in NW Turkey

Heavy snow and blizzards have forced the closure of a highway in northwest Turkey, leading to a massive queue of vehicles.

The road between the city of Balikesir and the town of Susurluk has been closed since Monday evening, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Around 600 vehicles were stranded on a 9-kilometre (5.5 mile) stretch of the snow-covered road.

Some 800 further vehicles were stranded in other areas.

Local authorities distributed food to those stranded, Anadolu reported.