New Delhi:
Dense fog on Saturday played havoc with life in north India leading to three train accidents, disrupting air and rail traffic and a power break down as the northern grid tripped.
Six people were killed and 25 injured when the Gorakhdhaam Express rammed into the Prayagraj Express near the Panki railway station in Kanpur.
(Read & Watch: Train accident near Kanpur)While the Prayagraj Express was coming from Delhi to Kanpur; the Gorakhdhaam was going from Gorakhpur to Delhi.
In Etawah, the Lichchavi Express rammed into the Magadh Express near the Sarai Bhuft station this morning. Thirteen people were injured, but there are no reports of any casualties.
(Read & Watch: Train accident near Etawah)
The driver of one of the trains involved in the accident at Etawah was stuck in his seat; but has now been rescued. A relief train has being sent from Kanpur to help the passenger.
A third accident took place near Allahabad. The Saryu Express from Allahabad to Faizabad collided with a maintenance trolley, injuring two people.
The fog in fact threw life out of gear in the entire north India. Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir reeled under a power crisis as the northern grid tripped around 3 am following a technical problem in the transmission lines triggered by the fog and cold conditions.
(Read: Blackout in northern India as grid trips due to fog)Though the problem was partially rectified in Jammu, the entire Kashmir valley was plunged into darkness due to the breakdown.
(Read & Watch: Kashmir without power, hospitals hit hard)For the first time this season, air traffic in Delhi suffered severe disruption in flight schedules involving several domestic and international flights.
Flight operations at the IGI airport in New Delhi came to a virtual standstill in the morning due to the fog and a fault in the much-hyped CAT III B instrument landing system.
(In pics: Fog delays flights)There was chaos at the New Delhi railway station too. Fog disrupted over 54 trains. Passengers remained stuck for several hours.
(Read & Watch: Chaos at New Delhi station; 54 trains delayed)The fog was termed by the Met department as most intense during the season.