Karachi ranked 3rd most polluted city in world on AQI

KARACHI: Karachi becomes third most polluted city of the world on Sunday as eastern winds bring the air quality to unhygienic level, ARY News reported.

The metropolis was measured to have 190 reading of particulate matter on the air quality index.

Earlier, health experts described Karachi’s air quality as “very unhealthy” and advised citizens to restrict their outdoor activities especially during peak pollution hours.

It is to be mentioned here that AQI as high as 151-200 is considered unhealthy, while an AQI reading between 201 to 300 is more harmful and AQI reading over 300 mark is extremely hazardous.

Experts said that the air becomes heavier in the winter, causing poisonous particles in the atmosphere to move downwards and making the atmosphere polluted. As a result, a layer of polluted particles, including large amounts of carbon and smoke, covers an area.

The smoke produced by factories or by burning coal, garbage, oil or tyres, enters the atmosphere and its impact appears at the onset of the winter and remains till the end of the season, experts said.

Although southwestern winds blowing from the sea in Karachi, work as a filter for the air, these winds remain mostly suspended during the winter, experts said.