Dense fog disrupts flights and trains in New Delhi
NEW DELHI, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Flight and rail servicesin India's capital city of New Delhi were disrupted on Tuesdaymorning as a thick layer of fog enveloped the region, reducingvisibility to barely 50 metres (164 feet) in some areas.
"Very dense fog" was observed in the city, where thetemperature was just 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit),India's weather department said, adding "dense to very densefog" was likely in the early hours of the day in some areasuntil Wednesday.
"Dense fog" contains particulate matter and otherpollutants, according to the weather department, which warned ofthe impact this may have on the health of the city's 20 millionresidents.
New Delhi's air quality index stood at 376 on Tuesdaymorning, rated as "very poor", according to the CentralPollution Control Board's website. Levels of 0 to 50 areconsidered to be good.
At least 30 flights that were to land at or depart from theDelhi airport, including on international routes, experienceddelays because of the dense fog, according to Indian news agencyANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake.
About 14 trains travelling along routes in North India weresimilarly affected, ANI reported.
"While landings and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport,flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected," theIndira Gandhi International airport said on social mediaplatform X, formerly known as Twitter.
CAT III is a navigation system that enables aircraft to landeven when the visibility is low.
Airlines like India's SpiceJet also took to socialmedia to warn passengers that departures and arrivals from NewDelhi may get affected "due to bad weather".
Other parts of North India, including the states of Punjaband Uttar Pradesh, reported similar weather conditions onTuesday morning, with temperatures ranging between 6 C and 10 C(43 F to 50 F) in most places, the weather department said.(Reporting by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Jamie Freed)