Dense Fog Disrupts Life Across AP; La Nina Blamed
Flight operations in the State have been disrupted, while railways have issued advisories to pilots to reduce speed and observe signals with caution.
Visakhapatnam: A La Niña–driven weather pattern has brought unusually dense and widespread fog across Andhra Pradesh this winter, triggering health concerns and disrupting air, rail and road transport in several parts of the state.
Unlike previous years when fog was largely confined to high-altitude regions, residents across Andhra Pradesh are experiencing persistent foggy conditions, a phenomenon not seen for many years. Typically, fog prevails in the high-altitude areas of Alluri Sitharama Raju and Parvathipuram Manyam districts between October and the end of January.
Explaining the phenomenon, Prof. Sunitha, head of the department of Oceanography and Meteorology at Andhra University, said the prevailing fog and chilly conditions were linked to La Niña, which is expected to persist through December, January and February.
She said radiative cooling was leading to temperature inversions, causing night temperatures to drop by at least three degrees Celsius. “Normally, such conditions occur in January, but this year we are witnessing them as early as December. We may see a sharper fall in temperatures in January, along with denser fog,” she said.
Health experts warned that prolonged exposure to fog could pose risks, particularly to the elderly and children. “Breathing fog can cause rhinorrhoea, irritate the lungs and trigger bronchial diseases. If inhaled along with dust, it may even lead to pneumonia and other lung infections,” said Dr M. Phanindranath Reddy, a pulmonologist in Visakhapatnam.
The fog has also affected transport services. Flight operations in the State have been disrupted, while railways have issued advisories to pilots to reduce speed and observe signals with caution. Road transport has been the worst hit, with poor visibility blamed for at least 500 accidents during winter months.
Two weeks ago, nine pilgrims were killed on the spot and five injured when their bus plunged off a ghat road after missing a hairpin bend between Chintoor and Maredumilli in ASR district. Police said the driver could not spot the bend due to dense fog. A day earlier, a student from Visakhapatnam died after his car rammed into a bridge because of poor visibility.
Following these incidents, the ASR district administration closed ghat roads during night hours and indicated that they would be reopened only after fog conditions subside, likely by February.
