On Sunday, a dense layer of fog blanketed the Indo-Gangetic plains in North India, causing visibility to plummet to zero meters at multiple locations. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued advisories, urging people to refrain from unnecessary travel and exercise caution while driving.
The Railways reported disruptions to the schedules of 22 trains arriving in Delhi due to the fog. Satellite imagery revealed an extensive fog cover spanning from Punjab and north Rajasthan to the northeast, with additional patches along the east coast.
An official from the IMD noted that dense fog enveloped regions including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, North Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, starting at 10 pm on Saturday. This marks the first instance this winter season where zero-meter visibility was reported across various locations, including Amritsar to Dibrugarh, covering Ganganagar, Patiala, Ambala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Bareilly, Lucknow, Bahraich, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Tezpur (Assam).
Describing it as the longest and most intense episode of dense fog this season, the IMD scientist advised commuters to exercise extreme caution on highways, recommending the use of fog lights.
At 5:30 am, visibility levels were recorded at 25 meters in Patiala, Ambala, Bahraich (UP), Purnia (Bihar), and Palam (Delhi), and at 50 meters in Amritsar, Chandigarh, Safdarjung (Delhi), Bareilly, Lucknow, Varanasi, Dibrugarh, and Tezpur (Assam). Guwahati (Assam), Kailashahar, and Agartala (Tripura) reported visibility levels of 200 meters.
The Palam Observatory near the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi reported dense fog with visibility plummeting to zero meters by 5 am. Commuters are advised to exercise caution and take necessary precautions in light of these challenging visibility conditions.
(With Agency Inputs)
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