Schools shut, flights disrupted as fog blankets Kashmir

Authorities in Kashmir closed primary schools on Monday due to adverse weather conditions as heavy fog engulfed most parts of the valley, also affecting flight operations at the Srinagar airport, officials said.

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan ordered the closure of all government and private primary schools on Monday in view of the adverse weather conditions, the officials said.

They said the decision was taken in view of the heavy fog which has been prevailing in the valley for the past few days.

A thick layer of fog engulfed most parts of the valley for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, affecting the visibility and causing problems to the people, especially motorists.

A Meteorological Department official said the foggy weather conditions in the valley would remain till Tuesday.

"It is much better today (Monday) than it was yesterday (Sunday) when the foggy conditions remained throughout the day and got worse in the late afternoon. The foggy weather will remain till Tuesday after which there will be improvement,” the official said.

Fog disrupted the air traffic to and fro Srinagar airport as no flight operations took place in the morning because of the poor visibility, an official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

"The flight operations have been severely affected at the Srinagar airport and no flight has landed here because of the poor visibility caused by the heavy fog," the official said.

He said several morning flights have been cancelled.

The flight operations have been severely affected at the Srinagar airport for the past four days.

On Friday, several flights were cancelled, while no flight operations took place on Saturday and Sunday.