Delhi: Visibility is reduced as dense fog envelops the city

The national capital was shrouded in a thick layer of fog on Saturday, making vision difficult as large areas of North India continued to suffer from the impacts of the dropping temperature. The India Meteorological Department reports that Palam’s lowest temperature was 14.2°C, while the city’s recorded temperature was 12.2°C.

Many could be seen gathering around bonfires to stay warm as the cold took hold of the nation’s capital. Many were also seen seeking cover from the bitter cold inside an AIIMS night shelter.

There were similar images seen elsewhere, as residents of the Lodhi Road neighborhood were holed up in night shelters beneath thick blankets and quilts.

Residents who were out for morning strolls or cycling said that the temperature drastically dropped in the early hours of Saturday and that the cold was unbearable.

We’re finding it more difficult to go for early walks because of how chilly it is. The problems faced by morning walkers and daily commuters are being made worse by the fog and pollution. To prevent health issues brought on by pollution, we are going outside while wearing masks,” a resident told ANI on Saturday.

As of 8.07 am on Saturday, the Delhi Air Quality Index (AQI) fell into the ‘Very Poor’ category, as reported by SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research).

The India Metrological Department (IMD) reports that the national capital’s lowest temperature on Thursday was 7.8°C. The National Weather Predicting Office had previously predicted that for the following three days, the lowest temperature in Northern India will probably rise by two to three degrees Celsius. Mahesh Kumar, a Bihar autorickshaw driver, told ANI on Thursday that their everyday tasks were being impacted by the current chilly weather.

Due to the cold, there aren’t many passengers these days. The cold forces us to spend most of the day inside our cars,” Kumar said, adding that they make the majority of their journeys throughout the night, until the first light of morning, when the cold is, maybe, at its worst.

In the meanwhile, on Thursday morning, Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI), as reported by SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), fell into the bad category.