Dubai: Motorists across the country struggled with reduced visibility for a second day on Wednesday as fog blanketed the UAE.
Motorists reported traffic snarls during the morning rush hours in cities across the emirates. Weather forecasters said more fog is expected in the next several days.
On Tuesday, school buses and the office crowd were delayed as horizontal visibility fell below 50 metres, leading to several accidents on the highways that resulted in minor injuries to some people. Traffic jams were reported in some cases. However, no fatal accident was reported.
Etihad Airways reported one cancellation, one diversion, and five delayed flights at Abu Dhabi Airport. The Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Beirut was cancelled. An inbound flight from Hyderabad was diverted to Al Ain. International flights from Abu Dhabi to London, Paris, Sydney, and New York were delayed for two hours.
Abu Dhabi Police reported that it received as many as 163 calls regarding minor accidents and traffic snarls in the emirate.
However, apart from a four-car pile-up on the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road near the Dubai Investment Park at 8am, most of the accidents were of a minor nature and no injuries were reported. Dubai Police said a minor accident took place on Shaikh Zayed Road.
Both accidents were attributed to the failure of motorists to keep a safe distance from vehicles in front.
Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai Police sent out messages on twitter and other social networking platforms urging motorists to be cautious on the road. The messages included tips on driving in changing weather conditions, such as using fog lights, reducing speed, avoiding overtaking, and leaving a safe distance between vehicles.
Police have urged heavy-vehicle drivers not to venture on to the roads in foggy weather.
Meanwhile, officials at the weather buruea said the rise in humidity, low temperatures and low wind speeds at night had contributed to the fog across the country. The fog started setting in at around midnight in the western parts of Al Ain, such as Suwaihan, and some eastern areas of Abu Dhabi, including Al Khatam and Al Wathba but gradually engulfed other areas, spreading as far as Ajman.
The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) on Tuesday issued a fog alert.
“Fog had covered everything and it was extremely difficult to drive at around 4am as roads and footpaths were barely visible,” said Sandeep Kumar, a motorist in Abu Dhabi. He said he encountered fog along stretches of the Al Ain-Abu Dhabi Road and traffic was generally slow-moving.
Similar conditions were faced by people in Dubai, where Shaikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, the Business Bay Crossing, Jebel Ali, and most of the surrounding areas were blanketed by thick fog. “Dense fog had almost stopped the traffic flow near Ghantoot, a place between Abu Dhabi and Dubai,” said Imtiaz Ahmad, an expatriate who was driving from Abu Dhabi to Dubai at around 5am.
All major Sharjah-Dubai links, including Al Ittihad Road, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road, and Beirut Road saw traffic moving at snail’s pace for several hours, as motorists took extra caution.
Traffic police in both the cities alerted people to the possibility of fog by activating electronic signboards on highways that highlighted messages urging motorists to drive with care and maintain proper distance from vehicles ahead. Officers manning police helplines were also on the alert to assist the public.
Fog also covered most of Northern Emirates but no accidents were reported and the traffic situation was relatively normal.
The NCMS has predicted the possibility of fog and mist on Wednesday night and Thursday night. “It will be foggy weather at first, becoming clear in general during daytime,” said the forecast.
Conditions would be cold by night and pleasant during the daytime. Relative humidity is, however, likely to increase. The maximum temperature is expected to be 25 degree Celsius, dropping to 5 degree Celsius at night. Similar conditions are likely on Friday as well.
— With inputs from Bassma Al Jandaly, Senior Reporter, Aghaddir Ali, Staff Reporter
