A massive blanket of dense fog has brought Odisha to a standstill this New Year’s Day, grounding air traffic at the capital’s airport. With visibility dropping below 50 meters, only one flight has managed to take off since morning, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
The regional MeT department has issued a Yellow Warning for 17 districts, as a severe cold wave grips the state. G. Udaygiri emerged as the coldest spot at a bone-chilling 5.2°C, followed closely by Phulbani at 6.2°C. In northern interior Odisha, temperatures have plummeted 3°C to 5°C below normal.
Commuters faced harrowing conditions as roads remained effectively closed until 10 AM. Forecasters warn that while night temperatures may stabilize, daytime highs will drop further by 2°C to 3°C over the next four days.
Authorities advise citizens to avoid non-essential travel during early morning hours due to the life-threatening visibility levels.