Motorways closed, schedule of trains disturbed as fog descends on Punjab plains

The plains of Punjab, including Lahore, were again blanketed by dense fog on Monday, which considerably reduced visibility and also turned the weather colder, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

The fog not only resulted in the closure of motorways but also disrupted the flight operation. 

It also caused delays in the departure and arrival of trains. 

Dense fog engulfed Lahore and its outskirts, forcing the motorists to drive at a snail’s pace.  

On the other hand, the weather is turning chillier in the Punjab capital with each passing day. 

The Met Office forecast that the maximum temperature in the city would be recorded at 16 degrees Celsius.

With an AQI of 227, the city of gardens was ranked the third most polluted city in the world. 

The Met Office said that there were chances of rain in the provincial capital during the next 24 hours. 

Fog reduces visibility to nil in Narowal

Meanwhile, the weather has turned extremely cold in Narowal and its surrounding areas following Sunday’s rain. 

Dense fog, on the other hand, reduced visibility to zero and considerably slowed down the pace of traffic, prompting the traffic police to advise motorists to turn the fog lights of their vehicles on and stay in their lanes.  

The police also urged drivers to keep distance from other vehicles.

Fog was also reported from Pattoki, Okara, Sahiwal, Multan and other cities of Punjab.

Motorways closed due to fog

Due to poor visibility on account of fog, different sections of the motorway were closed for all kinds of traffic. 

M-2, connecting Lahore to Islamabad, was closed from Lahore to Kot Momin.

Likewise, the entry of vehicles on M-3, from Lahore to Abdul Hakim; M-4, from Pindi Bhattian to Khanewal; M-5 from Rahim Yar Khan to Rohri, and M-11, from Lahore to Sialkot, was completely banned. 

Haripur, suburbs receive rain

The happiness of the residents of Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) knew no bounds as the city and its surrounding areas received the first rain of the New Year.    

Besides rain, the city also received hails.  

Rain and snow continue in Swat 

Different parts of Swat continued to receive rain and snow on Monday as well.

Areas like Malam Jabba, Kalam and Gabin Jabba received up to one foot of snow. 

Bitterly cold winds caused temperatures to drop below freezing point. 

The inclement weather also led to power outages.

Reporters: Komal Aslam, Muhammad Ibrahim Qureshi, Yasir Arafat, Shahid Tabassum, Umair Afzal, Umar Khattab Yousafzai