Dense fog envelops the Lingaraj Temple at Old Town in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Residents of the state capital woke up to a dense cover of fog that caused difficulties for commuters, especially early in the morning.

The fog reduced visibility to below 50m forcing motorists to be extremely cautious. Drivers had to turn on their headlights and fog lamps to avoid collision. The dense fog cover also delayed several flights at the Biju Patnaik International Airport and train services in the city for around one hour.

Apart from Bhubaneswar, the fog also enveloped other cities such as Cuttack, Puri, Jajpur and others. Weathermen forecast moderate fog to prevail over some parts of coastal Odisha and the districts of Angul, Dhenkanal and Kandhamal for another two to three days. The regional Met department has also predicted rain and thundershower at one or two places in north Odisha over the next 48 hours.

On Thursday, two goons took advantage of the heavy fog and low visibility and allegedly robbed a couple of all their belongings, including gold ornaments worth around Rs 2 lakh, at gunpoint on the Nayapalli flyover. The incident took place at 5.30 in the morning when the couple were on their way to AIIMS and visibility was very poor.

Telegraph picture