Dense fog disrupts flights and trains in New Delhi
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Visibility was reduced to barely 50m in some areas in New Delhi.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
NEW DELHI - Flight and rail services in India’s capital city of New Delhi were disrupted on Dec 26 morning as a thick layer of fog enveloped the region, reducing visibility to barely 50 metres in some areas.
“Very dense fog” was observed in the city, where the temperature was just 9 deg C, India’s weather department said.
It added that “dense to very dense fog” was likely in the early hours of the day in some areas until Dec 27.
“Dense fog” contains particulate matter and other pollutants, according to the weather department, which warned about the impact this may have on the health of the city’s 20 million residents.
New Delhi’s air quality index stood at 376 on Dec 26 morning, rated as “very poor”, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s website. Levels of 0 to 50 are considered good.
At least 30 flights that were to land at or depart from the Delhi Airport, including on international routes, experienced delays because of the dense fog, according to Indian news agency ANI.
About 14 trains travelling along routes in North India were similarly affected, ANI reported.
“While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected,” the Indira Gandhi International Airport said on social media platform X.
CAT III is a navigation system that enables aircraft to land, even when the visibility is low.
Airlines like India’s SpiceJet also took to social media to warn passengers that departures and arrivals from New Delhi may be affected “due to bad weather”.
Other parts of North India, including the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, reported similar weather conditions on Dec 26 morning, with temperatures ranging between 6 deg C and 10 deg C in most places, the weather department said.
REUTERS
