Air pollution in Lahore, Pakistan’s second biggest city, is around 40 times higher than the level seen as acceptable by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The level of fine particulate matter in the air, which causes the most damage to health, peaked at 610. The WHO considers a reading above 15 in a 24-hour period unhealthy.
The air quality index, which measures a range of pollutants, also spiked at 1,067.
“We have never reached a level of 1,000,” said Jahangir Anwar, a senior environmental protection official in Lahore.
Lahore has been covered in smog lately. Smog is a mix of fog and pollutants caused by low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal agricultural burning and winter cooling.
Smog is particularly bad during the winter. This is because the cold, dense air traps emissions from poor-quality fuels used to power the city’s vehicles and factories at ground level.
