Delhi Chokes Under Worst Fog in Years, AQI Hits 'Severe' Levels

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A severe fog advisory has been issued for Delhi and its surrounding areas, with the city experiencing its worst fog in years. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted dense to very dense fog due to a western disturbance that began on December 27. As of Monday morning, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and its neighboring areas like Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram reached 'severe' levels, with readings of 400 or above. The dense fog, combined with high pollution levels, has made it difficult for people to navigate the roads, with some users on social media sharing visuals of vehicles barely visible in the distance. "This is the thickest fog I've seen in Delhi in a while," said one user. "Visibility is almost zero, and it smells acrid and salty due to air pollution." The situation has led to disruptions in flight and train services, with nearly 200 flights canceled from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday morning. According to IMD officials, visibility at Palam Airport fell to 50 meters at 2:30 am and remained so till 8 am, increasing marginally to 100 meters. At Safdarjung, visibility remained at 5 meters till 8:30 am. The situation is expected to worsen throughout the day due to cascading delays and cancellations.