LAHORE: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has feared a rise in road accidents due to a reduced horizontal visibility with intensifying fog throughout Punjab.

Already, at least six people had been killed while 10 others were injured in separate road accidents in Punjab during the last 48 hours. In the first accident, at least two students were killed and 10 others injured when a school van collided with a train while passing through an unmanned railway crossing in Sheikhupura.

While, in another accident in the capital city left four killed when a car overturned after hitting a road divider and eventually collided with four other vehicles, causing serious injuries to four people.

According to the PDM sources, the moisture level is inching up fast to 80 percent at present, which is likely to cross 90 percent in another week or so that would intensify fog throughout Punjab.

They said presently fog has yet not descended but soon it would reach the ground level with low air pressure after further drop in mercury to the level of 10 to 11 degree Celsius. They said a dry spell has already aggravated the blending of toxic particles with air once the moisture level would cross 90 percent.

Chief Meteorologist Sahib Zad Khan confirmed the apprehensions, saying that no immediate rainy system would be developed for at least another one week that would lead to a high moisture level and ultimately intensifying fog in the province. The induction of toxic particles out of vehicles combustion and stubble burning would convert it to smog, which is detrimental to human health, he said.

According to him, the low horizontal visibility due to a thick fog would affect the vision of vehicle drivers, a situation that may lead to more road accidents. Also, he said, flight schedules at the airport would also be disrupted due to the phenomenon.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021