One man was killed when his car plunged into the Sutlej River near a village in Pakpattan owing to the blinding conditions, as thick fog has blanketed most parts of Punjab, including Lahore, bringing traffic to a standstill, plunging villages into darkness.
The dense white veil, accompanied by a biting cold, has descended upon cities like Burewala, Dunyapur, Pakpattan, Hashilpur, and Deepalpur, severely disrupting daily life.
In Pakpattan, the fog's wrath was most evident. Near Mari Amb village, a car lost its way in the blinding conditions and plunged into the surging Sutlej River. While rescuers managed to retrieve the body of the driver, the incident highlights the dangers posed by the extreme weather.
Burewala residents faced a double whammy – the chilling fog tripped most feeders, leading to hours of power outages across the city and surrounding villages. Mobile phone networks also sputtered out in several areas due to the blackout.
The choking fog hasn't spared the highways either. Dunyapur and its environs on the border witnessed visibility dropping to zero, rendering vehicular movement practically impossible. Similar struggles were reported on highways near Arifwala and Deepalpur.
Over in Peshawar also, the Nowshera-Peshawar GT Road was under dense fog with traffic flow facing disruptions. Owing to low visibility, the motorway was closed from Burhan to Peshawar interchange.
Adding to the woes, the Meteorological Department predicts the foggy blanket to persist for the next few days, urging caution and vigilance from residents. With temperatures plummeting and visibility near non-existent, residents are advised to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary.
