Kathmandu
Thin layer of polluted haze has shrouded the atmosphere of Kathmandu dipping the Air Quality of the Himalayan nation’s capital, making it the city with worst Air Quality Index (AQI) in the world. Since the past few days, Kathmandu has continued to retain its position of most polluted city in the world.
As per the reading by IQ Air, a Swiss group that collects real-time air-quality data around the globe, the particulate matter pollution (PM2.5) levels of Kathmandu at 8 am (local time) stood at 241 micrograms per cubic metre. It further climbed to 258 by 10 am (local time) with the start of office time in the national capital.
Air pollution level of the bowl-shaped valley has accelerated further due to the rise in forest fires across the country. On Monday alone, more than 150 incidents of forest fire were recorded in the Himalayan Nation, which has continued to rage across the
PM2.5 refers to particulate matter or solid and liquid droplets in the air that are less than 2.5 micrometres, or 400th of a millimetre, in diameter. As per the United States Environment Protection Agency’s air quality index, when air pollutant PM2.5 exceeds 300 mg/m3, the level is considered ‘hazardous’ for everyone and may prompt emergency condition alerts.
