The village of Handere, with 45 households and surrounded by pine trees, is located 14 kilometers away from the town center at an altitude of 2,350 meters, making it one of the most severely affected areas during the winter season in the region. Throughout most of the year, the village is covered in snow, with temperatures in January and February dropping as low as 25-30 degrees below zero at night.
As the country experiences the spring season, the houses, barns, and vehicles in this village in the Eastern Anatolia Region have been covered in snow due to the recent heavy precipitation. The snow depth in Handere village has reached up to 2 meters, leading residents to work on clearing the snow from the front of their houses and rooftops.
One of the village residents, İbrahim Ay, mentioned that they are experiencing a harsh winter in the village. He explained that snowfall begins in November and lasts for approximately 7-8 months in the village, negatively impacting daily life. Ay expressed concerns about the accumulation of snow, stating that there is no longer enough space to throw the snow and even the machinery struggles to cope with the amount of snow, affecting the residents negatively.
Another resident, Mehmet Kabak, highlighted the excessive amount of snowfall the village has received this year. He stated that they have been under snow for more than half of the year, emphasizing that the village, being in a snow-prone area, has seen significantly more snowfall this year compared to previous years, with approximately 2 meters of snow currently present in the area.
The challenging winter conditions in Handere village have made daily life difficult for the residents, who are working hard to clear the snow from their surroundings. The heavy snowfall has caused disruptions in transportation and affected the functioning of vehicles and machinery in the village. Despite the difficulties, the residents are resilient and determined to overcome the challenges posed by the severe winter weather in the region.
