Karachi woke to a dense layer of fog on Sunday morning, significantly reducing visibility across the sprawling metropolis and contributing to hazardous driving conditions. This atmospheric phenomenon led to a tragic incident as police confirmed the death of a motorcyclist in an accident.
Foggy Karachi Morning Claims a Life
South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Asad Raza stated that the accident happened on Clifton Bridge. He attributed the fatality to a combination of factors, including the dense fog, slippery road surfaces, and excessive speed. “The motorcyclist slipped due to the conditions, resulting in his immediate death,” DIG Raza informed Dawn.
The victim’s body was initially taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre before being released to his family. This incident underscores the dangers posed by poor visibility during foggy spells.
Impact of Fog on Visibility in Karachi
Low visibility was reported across various parts of the city. Areas like the Super Highway, Surjani Town, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, I.I. Chundrigarh Road, Clifton, and Defence experienced significantly reduced sightlines. SindhNews.com also received reports of similar conditions.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) noted that shallow fog extended to the Rahim Yar Khan-Karachi Highway and Karachi-Lasbella Highway between 8 am and 11 am, impacting travel routes.
Air Quality and Flight Disruptions
Beyond visibility, the air quality monitoring platform IQAir indicated that Karachi’s air quality was “very unhealthy” around 11:30 am, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 282. An AQI above 200 signifies “very unhealthy” conditions.
The foggy weather also led to disruptions at Karachi airport, with multiple flights being cancelled or experiencing delays. Dawn has sought official confirmation regarding the exact cause of these flight schedule changes.
This foggy morning in Karachi led to a fatality and highlighted broader issues of visibility, air quality, and transportation disruptions across the city.