Energy minister says power cut in central Turkey still impacts 20,000 households - media

Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez makes a speech during a ceremony at Dilovasi port in the western city of Kocaeli, Turkey, June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Workers were still trying to restore power to some 20,000 households left in the dark for three days in the central Turkish province of Isparta after heavy snow caused disruptions to the electricity grid, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Saturday, according to news website Haberturk.

"Heavy snow and a blizzard caused serious damage to energy infrastructure... initially 113,236 users were left without electricity in the province...units are working in the field to restore energy to the remaining 20,000 users," Donmez said.

The governor's office in Isparta said some neighbourhoods and villages were still without electricity since the snow started on Thursday but grid maintenance personnel were continuing work on power transmission lines.

"There is a delay in restoring power... as the disruptions in utility poles occurred in a wide area impacting different lines, transportation to the areas is difficult and snow depth is around 1 metre (yard)," the governor's office said in a statement.

The authorities decided to ban use of motorbikes and electric scooters since Thursday and pause face to face education in schools for five days in the city of 450,000 people as of Feb. 7, according to a statement on governor's office website.

(Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Kim Coghill)