The dense fog that enveloped Istanbul over the weekend continues to stall daily life in Türkiye’s most populated city, although it appears to be gradually clearing up.
Dense fog on the first day of the year, starting from midnight, disrupted some means of transportation over the weekend, including ferry services between Istanbul and other cities, suspending air, operations and closing highways for a time.
On the Asian side, the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge as well as the Maltepe, Pendik and Kartal districts and sections of the D-100 highway saw heavy traffic jams due to dense fog, which also reduced visibility. Drivers proceeded slowly and carefully on the D-100 Highway as a precaution.
The nighttime fog that started in Istanbul intensified after midnight. The E5 highway, which became slippery due to the excess moisture in the air, was especially difficult to navigate.
In the statement made on the social media account of Sabiha Gökçen Airport: "Due to the fog reducing the visibility, the runway was closed to traffic at 5:45 a.m., with the first landing and then take off at 6:20 a.m." Its operations later returned to normal at 10 a.m. It was also reported that 22 aircraft unable to land at Sabiha Gökçen Airport were diverted to Istanbul Airport.
Due to the decrease in visibility in the dense fog in the Dardanelles, the strait was closed to transit ships in both directions at around 5:30 a.m. Çanakkale Strait Ship Traffic Services Directorate officials warned the ship captains who would enter from the north and south by radio and announced that the strait was closed to two-way transit ships. It was stated that ship traffic would return to normal after the fog lifted.
However, postcard-quality images emerged when the fog created beautiful landscapes at sunrise on the Bosporus. Foreign tourists and citizens who did not want to miss the fantastic view gathered in the city's Ortaköy district to admire and capture this unique view of the Bosporus and 15 July Martyrs Bridge.
At one point, the Bosporus completely disappeared, shrouded by a thick layer of fog.