Heavy fog in Rawalpindi and Islamabad has disturbed travel plans with widespread disruption of domestic and international flights, trains, and bus services, as well as car movement on the roads and highways.
During the foggy days, the visibility remains 50 meters in several areas of the twin cities early in the morning but gradually improves later in the day.
The thick blanket of early-morning fog has affected routine activities and traffic. Trains and buses coming from Karachi, Quetta and Lahore arrived late in Rawalpindi due to fog.
Flight cancellations at Islamabad Airport
The visibility remained 1.5 kilometers from 5 pm to 9 pm at Islamabad Airport on January 21, 2024. It gradually decreased to 0.31 km and later to .05 km after midnight (3 am) on Monday. The visibility is expected to gradually improve from January 22 at noon.
The flight operations of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other airlines were affected by persistent fog and poor visibility. Several flights were diverted, delayed, or canceled due to bad weather.
PIA flights from Islamabad to Gilgit PK-601 and from Gilgit to Islamabad PK-602 were canceled, while PK-211 Dubai-Islamabad was rerouted to Lahore.
Another PIA flight PK-234 from Dubai to Islamabad was diverted to Karachi, while PIA flight PK-233 from Islamabad to Dubai was canceled, according to the PIA spokesperson. The PK-118 flight from Bahrain to Islamabad was rerouted to Peshawar, while PK-184 from Al-Ain to Islamabad was diverted to Peshawar.
Flu season and gas loadshedding
The recent cold wave has worsened living conditions for citizens facing power load shedding and low gas pressure adding to the difficulties.
Cold weather indoors due to no or low gas pressure is affecting elderly persons and children the most affected.
“The majority of the patients arrive with complaints related to extreme cold conditions. We have been seeing more than 100 patients every day,” according to a doctor at Benazir Bhutto Hospital.
Doctors have advised people to keep themselves warm, cover their heads and ears and increase liquid intake, especially soups.
Weather forecast
In its January 22 weather update, the Meteorological Department said that “Dense fog is likely to continue in Islamabad, plain areas of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and upper Sindh during next few days”. The Met department said that day temperatures are likely to remain below normal in most parts of Punjab due to dense fog.
The Met Office stated that there are no immediate signs of rain in the coming days, with a possibility of rainfall in the twin cities only after January 28.
Lowest temperatures in last 24 hours
- Leh -12°C
- Skardu -11°C
- Kalam -7°C
- Kalat -4°C
- Chitral, Hunza, Rawalakot and Quetta -3°C
- Islamabad 2°C