Haze weather disrupts flights, other activities in Kano

Emergence of haze weather on Thursday disrupted flight schedules at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and other business activities in Kano.

Poor visibility

The cloudy atmospheric conditions did not only dispensed intensive cold and dusty weather but has compelled the residents in the ancient city to brave the impact of the humidity drop.

The bad weather, which hindered several scheduled flights from departing the Kano Airport also prevented all flights from arriving at the airport, especially those scheduled for morning and afternoon.

Besides the early airlift of passengers on Azman Air, Max Air and a few chartered flights, other airlines were unable to depart just as airlines scheduled to arrive Kano were diverted, local airline staff told The Guardian.

Apart from flight operations, the haze weather has changed routine business and corporate activities in the state. Although the major roads in the metropolis were seen almost empty, the haze weather has a high density of auto crashes, especially in the evening period, The Guardian learnt.

The usual busy banking activities yesterday was devoid of the regular customer’s congestion because of the intensive cold which caused many to stay indoors in the early hours. Observation at some new generation banks along Bello road, Bank road, Zoo Road and Murtala Mohammad way showed less engagement of the bankers.

Also, the popular Kori market, one of the largest textile markets in Northern Nigeria, as well as Sabon Gari market, were almost deserted at about 10 am due to the weather condition.

A trade as Kori market told The Guardian that business activities mostly pick up slowly in the morning in Kano. He however stressed that the haze weather may largely reduce customers patronage.

However, residents are predisposed to the deadly medical condition associated with the sudden change in atmospheric conditions.

Director, Disease Control and Epidemiology, Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Agency, Dr. Imam Wada Bello, cautioned residents to be conscious of airborne related complications of COVID-19 as the weather changes.

Bello, who spoke with The Guardian on the health-related conditions of the extreme cold and haze atmosphere witnessed in Kano, stressed that common conditions associated with the present weather include upper and lower respiratory retractive infection, tuberculosis, asthma, pneumonia and other COVID-19 related conditions.

The public health physician urged residents to take precautions especially on proper clothing for the elderly and children, frequent water intake and strict adherent to all preventive measures on COVID-19 pandemic to guide against the resurgence of another health emergency.

Spokesman of the Federal Road Safety, Kano Sector Command, Abdullahi Labaran, disclosed 60 per cent reduction in visibility rate in Kano while explaining measures already put in place to reduce road crashes in the dry season.

“We have started a various campaign on road caution on our roads, but we normally intensify the measures as weather changes. Our patrol teams are constantly on the road to compel motorists to put on their parking lights for visibility reasons. We have our traffic radio and media programme to keep public alert on the weather situation in Kano,” Labaran explained.