Dense fog prompts KNMI code yellow for poor visibility

Dense fog blanketed much of the Netherlands from Friday evening into Saturday morning, causing numerous road accidents and significant disruptions at airports. The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) had issued a code yellow warning, citing visibility of less than 200 meters in most parts of the country, excluding the Wadden Islands.

The KNMI warned Friday morning that the fog could cause traffic disruptions, with some areas reporting visibility as low as 111 meters, according to weather service Weeronline. "Dense fog can hinder traffic," the KNMI cautioned. Visibility was particularly poor in Arcen (111 meters), Woensdrecht (113 meters), and Rotterdam (138 meters).

Several road accidents were reported overnight, although authorities have not confirmed whether the dense fog was a direct factor in these incidents.

On the N391 near Roswinkel in Drenthe, a car veered off the road around 2 a.m. Police are investigating the incident. “There may have been two occupants, but they were not located at the vehicle,” police said.

In Alteveer, near Hoogeveen, a car struck a tree on the Otto Zomerweg. Emergency services had to extract one of the occupants from the wreckage. Two individuals sustained severe injuries and were transported to the hospital for emergency treatment.

In a separate incident on the A1 highway near Holten, a rear-end collision occurred Friday evening, leaving one person with minor injuries, according to RTV Oost.

Earlier Friday evening, a police vehicle was involved in an accident on the ring road in Groningen. No injuries were reported, RTV Noord stated.

The fog also affected air travel, leading to the cancellation of 20 flights at Schiphol Airport. The KNMI predicted that the fog would gradually dissipate by Saturday morning, easing travel conditions.

Weeronline reported that areas in Limburg, North Brabant, and South Holland experienced the worst visibility earlier in the day. The KNMI reminded travelers to exercise caution and plan their journeys accordingly.