Heavy fog over capital, several flights affected

A thick layer of fog enveloped the national capital early on Saturday, severely affecting flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

A thick layer of fog enveloped the national capital early on Saturday, severely affecting flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

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"Dense fog engulfed the airport early on Saturday, reducing visibility to 50 metres on the runways, which was much below the required level for flight operations," an airport official said.

The departures and arrivals of over two dozen international and domestic flights were affected, the official said.

"The visibility improved to 1,000 metres at around 10 am, when normal operations resumed," the official added.

According to the met department, the fog was caused by a "western disturbance" over the national capital.

"We experience fog and increase in temperature whenever a western disturbance passes over the capital," an official at the Safdarjung met department said.

The minimum temperature was at 11.7 degree Celsius, three degrees above normal for this time of the season. The maximum was 27 degrees.

The met department has forecast some fog early on Sunday and a clear sky later in the day.