Thick smog disrupts flights in the Indian capital

Thick smog blanketed the Indian capital, Delhi, today, reducing visibility to zero in some areas and disrupting flights at the main airport.

The Indian Meteorological Department issued an orange warning for Delhi today, the second highest level of warning, and expected fog ranging from dense to very dense in many areas, which may affect airports, highways and railway lines in the region.

Airport authorities stated on the X social networking site that the take-off of planes was affected by dense fog and warned that flights that lack an advanced navigation system that allows them to land despite low visibility may face difficulties.

“Dense smog across the northern belt is affecting flights taking off and landing in Delhi, and some flights may have to be canceled during the day,” IndiGo, India’s largest airline, said in a social media post.

According to the direct classification of the air quality monitoring group (IQ Air) on Friday, the Indian capital, which has been struggling with smog and air pollution since the beginning of winter, came in second place among the most polluted capitals in the world.

The country’s pollution control authority said that the air quality in the region was classified as “hazardous”, as the level of an index measuring air quality reached 408 at 0905 am local time. Levels from zero to 50 are considered “good.”