Red Alert in Delhi as Very Dense Fog Reduces Visibility to Zero
Zero visibility triggers red alert across region.
A thick layer of dense fog enveloped vast areas of north India on Friday morning, reducing visibility to zero metres at multiple locations and prompting severe weather warnings. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Delhi, forecasting significant disruptions to road, rail, and air transport systems due to the hazardous conditions.
Satellite imagery revealed extensive fog coverage across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, northeast Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. Zero visibility was recorded in cities including Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Bathinda in Punjab; Agra, Bareilly, Saharanpur, and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh; Safdarjung in Delhi; Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh; Bhagalpur in Bihar; and Daltonganj in Jharkhand. The IMD classified the fog as very dense in several areas, with visibility ranging between 0 and 50 metres.
Orange alerts were declared for numerous districts in Uttar Pradesh, parts of Uttarakhand including Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, and several Punjab districts such as Amritsar, Patiala, and Sangrur. Authorities highlighted risks of hazardous driving conditions, increased road accidents, and potential power line disruptions, urging residents to avoid non-essential travel and utilise fog lights where necessary.
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In Delhi, the fog compounded existing pollution challenges, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index reaching 382, categorised as ‘very poor’. Fourteen monitoring stations recorded ‘severe’ air quality, led by Vivek Vihar at 434. The Air Quality Early Warning System predicted persistent ‘very poor’ conditions until Saturday, with possible deterioration to ‘severe’ on Sunday.
To combat rising pollution, stricter measures were enforced in the capital from Thursday, including a ban on entry of non-Delhi registered private vehicles below BS-VI standards and mandatory ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ compliance. Fuel stations, supported by automatic number plate recognition cameras and police oversight, are refusing service to vehicles lacking valid Pollution Under Control certificates.
Also Read: Chennai Reels Under Torrential Rains; Andhra on High Alert as Cyclone Ditwah’s Remnants Persist
