Dense fog engulfed parts of Delhi on Friday morning, a day after the city and its adjoining areas witnessed overnight rainfall significantly improved the air quality to the 'Moderate' category.
Flight operations have been affected due to bad weather at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport of Delhi, while several trains to and from the city are also running late as visuals showed almost zero-visibility in some areas.
Meanwhile, the northern hills are finally receiving the much-awaited snowfall, with tourists hubs such as Himachal Pradesh's Kufri, Manali and Shimla, parts of Kashmir and Jammu province, including the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, being covered in snow
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Delhi Foggy A Day After Rain, Trains & Flights Ops Hit Again
Parts of Delhi and NCR woke up to on Friday morning, a day after heavy rainfall lashed certain places of the region. Friday's fog has disrupted flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) of Delhi, while some trains are also running late.
The "very dense" fog delayed 23 trains, a statement from the Northern Railways said on Friday.
As per India Meteorological's observation at 5:30 am on Friday, "Very Dense fog over some parts of Delhi; in isolated pockets of Haryana; Dense fog in isolated pockets of Rajasthan, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha; Moderate fog in isolated pockets of West Bengal."
Delhi's air quality significantly improved to the 'Moderate' category with a reading of 177 following heavy rain on Thursday.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 7 degrees Celsius on Friday in Delhi, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Zero visibility was reported at Palam at 9 am with runway visibility at the airport in Delhi ranging between 300 to 500 metres, IMD said.
566 roads blocked in Himachal due to rain, snow
As moderate to heavy snowfall continued in high hills and tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, tourist town Shimla received the first snowfall of the season bringing cheers to residents, tourists and farmers. Manali had also received snowfall earlier this week after a long wait.
Shimla was wrapped in a thin blanket of snow on Thursday while the 5-km stretch between Kufri and Fagu was entirely covered in snow. Braving the cold, tourists and residents thronged the Mall Road and Ridge in the heart of the city to enjoy the snow.
Over 566 roads, including six national highways, in Himachal Pradesh have been closed for vehicular traffic following heavy snowfall and rain, said Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh, adding that 138 roads are expected to be opened by tonight.
The local MeT office has issued orange warning for heavy snow and at isolated places in five districts -- Shimla, Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti on February 1 and yellow alert for thunderstorm and lightning on February 3 and 4.
Famous tourist destinations of Narkanda, Rohtang, Sangla, Dalhousie and Khajjiar are also receiving snowfall. Some vehicles in Manali and suburbs were damaged as uprooted trees fell on them.
(with PTI inputs)
