Fog related accidents kill 15 in Punjab

FAISALABAD/HAFIZABAD: At least 15 people were killed in fog-related accidents in Punjab on Thursday. 

Two cars collided near Chiraghabad Interchange in Faisalabad killing three people including a woman and injuring three. The injured have been shifted to the Allied Hospital.

In Hafizabad five cars collided near Sukheki due to smog killing ten people, rescue sources said.

A student and teacher were also killed in an accident in Khushab.

The spell of dense fog that began yesterday continued to disrupt movement of traffic in Punjab prompting closure of several sections of the motorway on Thursday, officials said.

The M2 motorway, connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad to Lahore, was closed from Sial More to Lahore in the wake of zero visibility due to heavy fog, a spokesman for the Motorway Police said.

The M3 motorway, leading to Faisalabad from Pindi Bhattian, was also closed completely due to zero visibility, he added. From Islamabad to Sial Mor, light fog was observed with visibility 80-150 meters and the section remained open.

On GT Road, the visibility was 80-140 meters as light fog engulfed Kamonki, yet, it too remained open for traffic.

Environment experts maintain that what looks like fog is actually smog which has been caused due to pollution.

In Lahore, citizens felt it difficult to set out of homes and travel as heavy smog blanketed the city. People complained of sore eyes due to the heavy spell which was continued since yesterday.