AQI crosses 400 after Deepavali celebrations in Chennai
A day after Diwali celebrations, Chennai has woken up to a severe public health emergency as air pollution levels skyrocketed, crossing the 400 mark on the Air Quality Index (AQI), a threshold categorized as ‘Severe.’
The city’s air quality has plummeted to a crisis point, drawing alarming parallels to the perennial pollution woes of the national capital, Delhi.
The air quality index in Velachery, Chennai has touched 401, which is the worst health hazard. People living in these areas for long periods are more likely to develop respiratory diseases.
The air quality in Perungudi has been recorded at 331 and in Chengalpattu at 342. People with pre-existing lung conditions and heart disease are likely to be severely affected.
The hazardous haze is not confined to the capital city alone; several interior districts including Vellore, Coimbatore, Trichy, and Tiruppur have also reported a significant spike in pollution levels.
The severity of the smog was starkly highlighted when an Indigo passenger flight from Chennai to Trichy was forced to divert and land at Madurai airport, with air pollution cited as a contributing factor to the disruption.
The Air Quality Index, which peaked at a level perilously close to the maximum hazardous limit of 500, presents a grave health risk to the entire population.
An AQI reading between 401 and 500 is classified as ‘Severe,’ signifying that the air poses serious health risks to everyone, not just vulnerable groups.