New Delhi, Dec. 19 (PTI): Dense fog, blanketing North and parts of East India, today wreaked havoc claiming 22 lives, and throwing road, rail and air traffic haywire leaving travellers stranded at many places.

Eighteen people were killed and several injured when a bus carrying them plunged into a roadside ditch in dense fog in Bihar's East Champaran district.

The victims were returning to Sahebganj from a temple in Nepal when poor visibility led to the bus crash.

Four people were killed and 12 injured in two separate road accidents in Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh where fog engulfed many areas throwing normal life in disarray.

In the national capital, some flights were delayed by up to two hours as visibility dropped to 300 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Trains ran behind schedule in Northern India as fog blinded the region. The Saryu-Yamuna Express from Darbhanga to Delhi was running 30 hours late.

The Met office said the fog was likely to persist for some days though some places in Punjab may receive showers.

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