Delhi Shrouded in Dense Fog Amid Cold Wave and Poor Air Quality

Dense fog covered New Delhi Saturday, affecting visibility and coinciding with chilly winds and poor air quality, recording AQI 350. Many sought shelter at night centers as temperatures plunged below freezing in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand cities. The cold spell to persist with expected moderate fog and rain.

Foggy Saturday morning enveloped New Delhi, significantly reducing visibility while plunging temperatures. The chill was marked at 11.2 degrees Celsius at 5:30 AM, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), as cold northwesterly winds swept through the city from the Himalayas.

With the Air Quality Index (AQI) registering a 'very poor' mark at 350 at both 7 and 8 AM, residents faced compounded challenges. Many sought respite in night shelters where caretaker Tinku Kumar assured, 'We provide food, blankets, and medicines for 20 individuals.'

The cold weather extended across northern India, enveloping cities like Ambala, Ayodha, and Karnal. Jammu and Kashmir remained frigid, with many areas seeing temperatures drop below freezing. Meanwhile, the chill persisted in Uttarakhand, with forecasted moderate fog and February 3 rain threats looming over Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies.)