New Delhi, Nov 13 (EFE).– Residents of the Indian capital awoke shrouded in thick smog, with New Delhi surpassing Pakistan’s Lahore as the world’s most polluted city on Wednesday.
The air quality levels in the city of nearly 30 million people reached ‘hazardous’ conditions, according to the Swiss air quality monitoring platform IQAir.
Data from the monitoring platform reported an air quality index (AQI) of 515 for New Delhi at 10:45 a.m., overtaking the maximum threshold of the standard AQI scale, which ranges from 301 to 500.
The air quality level in New Delhi was classified as “hazardous” to health, according to IQAir, with PM2.5 particle concentrations, a key component linked to severe health risks, measuring 333 micrograms per cubic meter.
Lahore, previously the top-ranked polluted city, recorded an AQI of 432, also within the “hazardous” range.
In New Delhi, one of the world’s most densely populated urban centers, visibility was severely reduced, with smog nearly reaching a blinding intensity from a distance, as the sun hid behind a thick layer of haze.
A combination of agricultural waste burning, industrial emissions, and stagnant weather has led to a dense smog blanket covering the city.
Conditions worsened following the recent Diwali festival; despite city-wide bans, widespread use of fireworks during celebrations greatly increased pollution levels, experts reported.
Meanwhile, Mumbai recorded a lower AQI than New Delhi but ranked as the ninth most polluted city globally on Friday, according to IQAir. EFE
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