While the lively, culturally rich side of a large city may be a major selling point for millions of people, its dense population often results in poor air quality, leading to widespread health problems.
In December, the air quality index in the Indian city of Delhi soared to horrific levels. One Reddit user shared a video that captured the surreal nature of the extreme event.
(Click here Watch the video if the embed does not appear)
“View from balcony in Delhi, India, current air quality index is 800~900,” wrote a Reddit user.
In the video, you can see extremely dangerous levels of the city’s air quality index causing thick clouds.
An interactive map from India’s Central Pollution Control Board points out that several neighborhoods in Delhi have AQI levels well above 400. According to CPCB data, these readings exceed severe AQI levels.
Poor air quality indexes can be caused by a variety of factors, including elevated levels of pollutants such as particulate matter from human activities and ground-level ozone. Vehicle pollution, industrial processes and agriculture can directly contribute to significant deterioration in air quality.
Natural events such as wildfires and dust storms can also have a significant impact on air quality. These factors could even be exacerbated by warm, stagnant air, which could trap pollutants near the ground, triggering the extreme events seen in Delhi.
As air quality index (AQI) levels rise, so do potentially serious health risks. This can lead to vulnerable segments of the population falling victim to respiratory health problems and even cardiovascular problems. However, once the air quality index exceeds severe levels, these increased health risks affect the entire population.
“This looks so dystopian,” one user said in the comments section.
“Currently in [the] “South India, AQI here is 16,” another added. “The scale on the app I use goes up to 500, what’s happening in Delhi is crazy!”
A third suggested: “This is what happens when a city with an AQI of 200 gets this due to pollution and the weather makes it worse.”
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