Family on road trip to Baguio encounters dense fog

What should've been a fun road trip for a family turned into a tense one when they encountered dense fog while driving to Baguio.

According to Kuya Kim on "24 Oras," Thursday, patriarch Leoncio Enriquez was the one behind the wheel when the road they were driving on was suddenly blanketed by fog.

The family, who hails from Bulacan, loves to go on road trips but this recent one left them feeling uneasy.

"Sobrang kapal as in zero visibility. Wala na talaga kaming makita, three o'clock nung time na 'yun ay nagmistulang gabi," said Leoncio.

He thought of stopping the car but the road going to Baguio was steep, so he followed the road's white markings instead and some of the road signs. After about thirty minutes of carefully driving in the fog, the family was able to reach their destination safely.

Kuya Kim explained that fog or hamog is a cloud at ground level, which is caused when water vapor condenses. Through the condensation process, the molecules of water vapor join together to form water droplets. He also said that the reason fog is visible is because of the water droplets in the air; when fog is thick, it may cause zero visibility.

"Zero visibility ito 'yung tumutukoy dun sa paningin natin o 'yung kakayahan ng isang tao na makakita sa paligid kumbaga nagiging limited," said Ana Clauren-Jorda, a weather forecaster from DOST-PAGASA.

"May mga condition tayo sa atmosphere na nagko-cause ng zero visibility tulad nga ng fog o 'yung hamog lalo na nga sa mga bulubunduking lugar, tulad nga rin nung malakas na pag-ulan na may kasama pa itong bugso ng hangin."

Meanwhile, safety officer Capt. Joebert Tolentino advised the public to buckle up and slow down should they encounter fog while driving.  

"Safety first, buckle up. Slow down, ‘yung light natin i-low beam natin kasi ‘pag high beam magco-contrast 'yan dun sa fog hindi ka rin makakakita. Medyo naka-alalay ka na agad sa brake para 'yung vehicle sa likod mo, kailangan makita ka niya kaagad," he said.

He added that one should stop driving for the meantime if one isn't familiar of the road.

"Paano pag hindi mo kabisado 'yung lugar? Tabi ka muna. Pag di mo kabisado baka maka-aksidente ka lang. Be sure na hindi ka doon sa blind side."

— CDC, GMA Integrated News