In the early hours of Wednesday, Delhi grappled with the season's most intense fog, causing delays in at least 25 trains and around 50 flights. The Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express and the Howrah-New Delhi Poorvah Express faced delays exceeding five hours, while other trains experienced delays of over an hour. Flights experienced delays, though no diversions were reported by 9 am.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) labeled Wednesday's fog as the thickest, intensifying across north India. Visibility plummeted to 50 meters in Safdarjung and Palam, and the air quality, already in the very poor category, was expected to deteriorate further.
With the mercury dipping to 7°C, the IMD highlighted the prolonged duration of the dense fog. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi averaged 380 (very poor) at 9 am on Wednesday, indicating a likely persistence in the severe category until Friday. Despite a brief improvement on Monday, the AQI has consistently hovered above safe limits.
As the fog persisted, the city geared up for continued challenges in both transportation and air quality, with forecasts suggesting a range between very poor and severe zones in the days ahead. The mercury was expected to rise to 22°C, contributing to the complex weather dynamics influenced by the El Nino phenomenon. Stay tuned for further updates on Delhi's atmospheric conditions and the impact on daily life.
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