Hanoi wears thick fog blanket

Vehicles had to turn on their headlights and drive slowly on Nguyen Trai Street in Thanh Xuan District at 6:48 a.m.

The thick fog appeared from midnight, blurring faces at a 10 m distance.

Many travelers in Dong Da District could not see vehicles moving in the opposite lanes at 7 a.m., although street lights have been turned on.

Slow-moving vehicles caused minor congestion on Long Bien Bridge.

The traveling has been more troubling for people carrying ornamental plants to the markets for sale. It’s the busy time for selling these plants which are popular decorations for Tet holiday that peaks next week.

People take photos with the thick fog at Sword Lake, where the iconic Turtle Tower has become invisible.

A woman sits by Sword Lake. Many said foggy Hanoi feels like Sa Pa.

A woman runs around Sword Lake in around 23 degrees Celsius.

The area in front of the National Assembly building is covered in fog, making it impossible to clearly see the city's symbolic structure.

Guards stand at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at 8 a.m.

Fog covers Quan Thanh, a Taoist temple in Ba Dinh District.

The fog reduced visibility to around 100 meters at more than 9 a.m. Photo by Viet An

Heavy fog also occurred in many places in Hanoi in August, when air pollution plunged to "very unhealthy" level.

People sit at a plastic-stool tea shop by Thanh Nien Street.