KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 13

Dense fog enveloped Delhi on Saturday morning, with the visibility dropping to as low as 25 metres in many places of India.

According to the All India Weather Forecast Bulletin from India Meteorological Department, dense to very dense fog was witnessed at most pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi; in some pockets over West Uttar Pradesh; in isolated pockets over East Uttar Pradesh; and moderate fog was witnessed in isolated pockets over Gangetic West Bengal, at 08:30 this morning.

Visibility at that time in Ludhiana, Patiala, Chandigarh, Karnal, Bhiwani, Ayanagar & Ridge (Delhi), Aligarh, Hardoi and Bareilly was 25 metres each; visibility in Amritsar, Ambala, Hissar, Rohtak, Safdarjung (Delhi), Meerut, Bahraich and Gorakhpur was 50 metres each; and in Palam (Delhi) & Canning was 200 metres.

The air quality in the Indian capital was recorded 'very poor' with air quality index (AQI) at 331 at 9:00 am, real-time data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) showed.

The bulletin has forecasted that dense to very dense fog in many to most pockets is very likely over Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi in the morning hours of February 14 and 15, 2021 and reduction in intensity & spatial distribution thereafter; in isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh in the morning hours of the same days and reduction in intensity thereafter. It also said that dense fog in isolated pockets is also very likely over Uttarakhand and Gangetic West Bengal in the morning hours of the next two days.

Meanwhile, normal life in the areas has been greatly affected due to poor visibility as a result of dense fog, especially in transportation and travel.