Bhubaneswar, 03 January (H.S.): Dense fog enveloped large parts of Odisha on Saturday, disrupting normal life across the state, as the Regional Meteorological Centre issued alerts for 14 districts. Poor visibility, which persisted until around 10 am, severely affected road travel and daily activities.

Commuters faced significant inconvenience as vehicles moved at a slow pace on highways and city roads due to low visibility. Several areas reported near-zero visibility during the early morning hours, raising concerns over road safety.

According to the Bhubaneswar Regional Meteorological Centre, foggy conditions are likely to continue across several districts for the next four days. For the next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued fog warnings for 14 districts, advising people to exercise caution, particularly during early morning travel.

An Orange Warning for dense fog has been issued for four districts—Khordha, Puri, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur—indicating a higher level of risk and the likelihood of significant disruption. In addition, a Yellow Warning has been sounded for ten districts, namely Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Gajapati and Sundargarh.

The weather department has advised motorists to use fog lights, maintain safe distances, and avoid unnecessary travel during early morning hours. Authorities have also been urged to remain vigilant, as dense fog may impact road safety and transportation services across the state over the coming days.

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda