India's capital shuts schools because of smog

NEW DELHI

People drive amid heavy smog on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, 15 November 2024.

India's capital New Delhi switched schools to online classes on Monday until further notice because of worsening toxic smog, the latest bid to ease the sprawling megacity's health crisis.

Levels of PM2.5 pollutants, dangerous cancer-causing microparticles that enter the bloodstream through the lungs, were recorded at 57 times above the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum on Nov. 18

They stood around 39 times above warning limits at dawn on Monday, with a dense grey and acrid smog smothering the city.

The city is blanketed in acrid smog each year, primarily blamed on stubble burning by farmers in neighboring regions to clear their fields for ploughing, as well as factories and traffic fumes.

The restrictions were put in place by city authorities "in an effort to prevent further deterioration" of the air quality.

Authorities hope by keeping children at home, traffic will be significantly reduced.

Many in the city cannot afford air filters, nor do they have homes they can effectively seal from the misery of foul-smelling air blamed for thousands of premature deaths.

New Delhi and the surrounding metropolitan area, home to more than 30 million people, consistently tops world rankings for air pollution in winter.

Cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds worsen the situation by trapping deadly pollutants each winter, stretching from mid-October until at least January.