Air, road, rail traffic disrupted as fog blankets Delhi; mercury plunges to 6°C

An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 356 (very poor) was recorded at 9am compared to 275 (poor) at 4pm on Tuesday even as the mercury plunged to 6°C.

Air, road, and rail traffic were disrupted as a thick layer of fog blanketed Delhi on Wednesday and plunged visibility to zero in parts of the city even as the mercury plunged to 6°C and the air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” category.

The maximum temperature was a degree below normal. It was 8.9°C a day earlier. An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 356 (very poor) was recorded at 9am compared to 275 (poor) at 4pm on Tuesday.

Fog and low wind speed led to the sudden deterioration in the air quality.