Delhi’s air pollution reached the ‘severe’ level on the official index for the first time this season on Wednesday, leading to reduced visibility and causing some flight disruptions. According to IQAir, a Swiss air quality group, Delhi overtook Lahore as the world’s most polluted city. The national pollution control authority recorded a 24-hour air quality index (AQI) of 418 in the capital. According to ANI, at least eight flights were diverted from Indira Gandhi International Airport.
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The Central Pollution Control Board classifies an AQI of 0-50 as “good,” while a reading above 401 is marked as “severe,” a level that poses risks to healthy individuals and can “seriously impact” those with pre-existing health issues.
On Wednesday morning, IQAir data showed that PM2.5 concentrations—fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns or smaller that can penetrate the lungs and cause serious health problems—were over 120 times the World Health Organization’s recommended safe levels.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted that dense fog, which reduces visibility to between 50-200 meters (164-657 feet), is likely to persist across northwest India for the “next 2-3 days.”
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