IMD Red Alert: 'Black Fog' & Pollution Choke Half India, Travel Chaos

• IMD issued a red alert for dense to very dense fog across North and Northeast India for December 16 morning.
• Regions affected include Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, UP, Himachal Pradesh, northern Madhya Pradesh, and several Northeastern states.
• Delhi is experiencing "black fog" (smog) due to a combination of dense fog and severe air pollution (AQI "very poor").
• The extreme weather conditions are expected to cause significant disruptions to road, rail, and air travel.
• IMD advises extreme caution, reduced speed, proper light usage, and avoiding non-essential travel during peak fog hours.

Why It Matters: Severe fog and pollution pose health risks and disrupt travel across half of India.