Dense fog blankets Delhi, north India; disrupts trains, flights
New Delhi, January 14: New Delhi woke up to a dense fog on Sunday morning, as did several other parts of the country, leading to significant disruptions in transportation. The national capital witnessed delays in 22 trains and 150 flights, with RK Puram recording a minimum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius.
The airport area experienced zero visibility, prompting Delhi airport to issue a fog alert the previous night, advising passengers to contact airlines for the latest flight information. Airlines, including budget carrier IndiGo and SpiceJet, acknowledged the "weather challenges" in northern India, cautioning travelers about potential interruptions in flight schedules due to adverse weather conditions.
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SpiceJet specifically highlighted the impact on departures/arrivals and consequential flights in Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Patna, Bagdogra, and Darbhanga. Meanwhile, in Chennai, where Pongal celebrations commenced, five inbound international flights were diverted to Hyderabad, and 18 flights faced delays, leading to a temporary suspension of landings at the airport.
Very dense fog was reported in various regions, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu division, Chandigarh, Assam, and south interior Karnataka. Moderate fog affected parts of Tripura, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The air quality in several areas of Delhi also deteriorated to the 'severe' category.
The weather office issued a red alert due to the cold and foggy conditions, forecasting dense fog in Delhi until Tuesday. Friday marked the season's first cold wave day, with temperatures dropping to 3.9 degrees Celsius. Saturday witnessed the coldest night of the season, recording 3 degrees in Aya Nagar, the last village on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road in Delhi. The adverse weather conditions are expected to persist, causing ongoing disruptions in transportation and affecting daily life in the affected regions.
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