Istanbul, Jan 25 (IANS): Turkey's largest city of Istanbul on Tuesday announced a ban on private vehicles from plying on the roads due to heavy snow.

Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said in a statement that private vehicles would not be allowed to enter the traffic until 1 p.m. (local time), adding that only public transport would be operational across the city of around 16 million people.

Thousands of people were stranded on roads during the rush hours on Monday late afternoon when the snow blizzard heavily hit the financial hub, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Istanbul Governor Office said that more than 5,000 citizens were evacuated while over 3,000 others were taken to hotels, guesthouses and other shelters until morning.

Local authorities barred the entry and exit of the city due to the blizzard.

The Istanbul Airport suspended all flights until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, while departures from the city's biggest bus terminals were also halted.

Yerlikaya tweeted that adverse weather conditions would continue on Tuesday, citing the latest meteorological reports.