Bhubaneswar: Heavy fog blankets several districts in Odisha this morning, leading to a series of fatal traffic incidents as visibility dropped to near zero. While seasonal fog is common during January in the coastal and interior belts, the current atmospheric conditions have created a lethal environment for commuters, particularly on major highways and rural corridors.
Early reports from local authorities indicate multiple casualties resulting from low-visibility collisions. The most severe incident occurred on National Highway 16, where a pile-up involving several commercial trucks and a passenger bus was attributed to the inability of drivers to see more than five meters ahead. Emergency services faced significant delays in reaching the crash sites due to the same thick white-out conditions that caused the accidents.
Meteorologists at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar explain that a combination of high moisture levels from the Bay of Bengal and a sudden dip in night temperatures has triggered this extreme fog. This phenomenon, known as radiation fog, often settles heavily over the landscape during the pre-dawn hours and lingers well into the mid-morning, catching early travelers off guard.
In response to the rising death toll, the state transport department has issued an urgent safety advisory. Motorists are being told to avoid non-essential travel during the late night and early morning hours. For those who must be on the road, officials stress the importance of using low-beam headlights and fog lights, maintaining significant following distances, and strictly adhering to reduced speed limits.
Police patrolling has been intensified on accident-prone stretches to guide vehicles through the haze. Hospitals in the affected districts remain on high alert as they continue to receive those injured in the morning’s transit chaos. Weather experts predict these conditions may persist for the next 48 hours, urging the public to remain vigilant.