- Visibility dropped to 100m in some parts of the city, worrying commuters.
- Visibility at Karachi airport drops to just 50 meters, according to the PMD.
- Departures of at least 10 flights affected by dense fog.
Different areas of Karachi were shrouded in dense fog on Thursday morning as visibility in some parts of the city dropped up to 50 metres, causing difficulties for travelers and disrupting flight operations during the early hours of the morning.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, heavy fog reduced visibility to 50 meters at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, leading to the suspension of flight operations.
Visibility has also been affected in Malir, Scheme 33 and other areas of the city.
Due to poor visibility, the departures of at least 10 flights were affected, while two alternate flights managed to take off, according to the flight schedule.
Doha-Karachi flight QR 610 and Jeddah-Karachi flight F 3829 were diverted to Muscat. Another foreign flight originating in Jeddah continued to fly over the Arabian Sea, awaiting clearance to land.
Three Karachi-Islamabad flights could not take off, while Karachi-Istanbul flights TK 709 and PC 130 remained on standby. Flight EY 299 from Abu Dhabi, Flight OV 514 from Muscat, Flight PK 302 from Karachi-Lahore and Flight F 3662 bound for Riyadh were also unable to take off.
According to meteorological analysts, an unusual increase in humidity has been recorded due to the change in wind direction.
Humidity levels in Karachi have increased dramatically, ranging between 85% and 95%. The PMD confirmed that the current humidity is 93%.
According to officials, the fog is likely to persist as light winds combined with high moisture content in the air prevent it from dissipating quickly. Citizens have been advised to drive with caution as fog and slippery road conditions pose serious risks.
The foggy conditions are not limited to Karachi as similar weather is expected in Hyderabad, Sujawal, Gharo, Badin, Hub, Bela, Othal and Jamshoro.
Meanwhile, air pollution in Karachi has worsened, with the city ranked as the second (currently third) most polluted in the world. The air quality index has reached a dangerous level of 218 AQI, raising health concerns for residents.
The Meteorological Office reported that for the next 24 hours, the maximum temperature of Karachi will remain between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius. The cold, dry weather is expected to continue.
