RAWALPINDI, Jan 3: Dense fog coupled with an intense cold wave blanketed the twin cities of Rawalpindi-Islamabad and adjoining areas badly affecting routine life on Monday.

About 40 domestic and international flights and over 20 train services were affected due to the weather condition. Besides, the motorway remained closed till in the evening.

According to Met Office, it was the longest duration of thick blanket of fog after 12 years, adding in 1999 the fog enveloped the twin cities from January 4 to 15.

“The general visibility in Islamabad and Rawalpindi at 8am was zero and it remained below 20 meters during the day.

The fog started creeping into the cities late Sunday,” he said.

The official said the minimum temperature was recorded at 1 degree Celsius in Islamabad and five degrees Celsius in Rawalpindi.

“Sun is likely to smile after two days. We forecast the same weather conditions for Tuesday,” he added.

There was chaos at Benazir International Airport, Rawalpindi railway station and on all major city roads. The road traffic moved at a snail's pace as the visibility did not improve till afternoon.

Schoolchildren and office goers faced difficulties while moving towards their destinations in the morning. Mostly, people arrived late in their offices. However, motorists looked well aware of the consequences of the weather condition and took precautionary measures. “No fog-related traffic accident was reported to Rescue-1122,” a spokesperson of the emergency service told Dawn.

Officials at the airport said: “Four flights from Islamabad to Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral were canceled. Emirates' flight from Dubai to Islamabad was diverted to Lahore. Besides, over 35 other domestic and international flights were delayed.”

They said the runway visibility was too low in early hours; as a result, an Emirates flight to Dubai could not take off at 3:25am and the passengers had to be shifted to a hotel.

“Around 20 trains are running late by four to five hours or more,” said officials at the railway station. The worst affected were: Awami Express, Quetta Express, Pakistan Express, Jaffar Express, Karachi Express, Taizgam and the night coaches.

The spokesman for the motorway police said M- I, II and III remained closed till in the evening. TAXILA:

Heavy fog led to the closure of Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) near Burhan section on Monday. The motorway police officials said the portion of M-1 from Peshawar to Rashakai interchange and from Burhan interchange in Hassanabdal to Peshawar remained closed due to the dense fog.