Cold wave: 134 flights delayed as heavy fog engulfs Delhi
At least 134 flights were delayed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport as a thick layer of fog continued to engulf the national capital, leading to near-zero visibility on Thursday. Twenty-two trains also experienced delays due to fog and poor visibility, as per the Indian Railways. As the minimum temperature dipped to 6 degrees Celsius, visibility on roads was nearly nonexistent. Traffic movement in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) has also been affected.
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A cold wave has gripped North India, leading to foggy, chilly conditions in states like Punjab, Haryana, and the Delhi-NCR region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) earlier released satellite images showing layers of fog blanketing the northern region, which has hit commutes, too. On Wednesday, one person was killed and 24 others were injured on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway after the fog led to the collision of six vehicles. Nine flights were also diverted from IGI Airport in Delhi on Wednesday.
IMD issues dense fog advisory
In addition to Delhi-NCR, the IMD issued a dense fog advisory for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, North Rajasthan, and North Madhya Pradesh. "Be careful while driving or outing through any transport. Use fog lights [while] driving. Be in touch with airlines, railways, and state transport for the schedule of your journey," it said. Moreover, it has predicted that "dense to very dense" fog will continue to blanket Delhi, with no respite from fog expected until Friday.
School timings changed, winter vacation announced in UP
In response to the dropping temperatures in the northern region, the Uttar Pradesh government declared school holidays for various cities on Thursday and Friday. Ghaziabad adjusted school timings for Classes 1 to 8 to 10:00am to 3:00pm, and similar alterations were made for Jalaun schools. Schools across Aligarh and Mathura have been closed until Friday and Sunday, respectively. Meanwhile, the UP government has announced a 15-day winter vacation from December 31, 2023, to January 14, 2024.
Dense fog grips North India
Cold wave persists across North India
On Thursday morning, parts of the national capital, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Southwest Rajasthan, and North Madhya Pradesh experienced dense to very dense fog (0-25 meters visibility). In Delhi, visibility was reduced to 50m in Safdarjung and 25m in Palam. To escape the cold, people gathered around bonfires while the homeless sought refuge in night shelters. Concerned authorities have also issued guidelines for the transport, aviation, power, and health sectors in the affected regions.
