Air quality in India's capital New Delhi deteriorated to hazardous levels on Tuesday (Oct 21), made worse by firecrackers that were set off to celebrate the Hindu festival of light, Diwali.

New Delhi

New Delhi experienced a significant rise in air pollution following Diwali celebrations, with visibility in parts of the city severely reduced. Despite regulations limiting the use of fireworks to 'green crackers' and specific times, many residents set off traditional fireworks outside permitted hours.

According to air quality monitoring by SciQ Air, the city's PM2.5 levels reached 442, the highest among major cities worldwide and far exceeding World Health Organization guidelines. The combination of fireworks, construction dust, vehicle emissions, and agricultural fires contributed to thick smog, leading to widespread respiratory illnesses among residents. The Indian government rated the air quality as 'very poor' and expects the hazardous conditions to persist for several days.

New Delhi world's most polluted city after Diwali fireworks

Parts of India's capital were barely visible on Tuesday, as air pollution reached hazardous levels after Diwali. People set off fireworks to celebrate the festival of light. Some flouting limited legal use of green crackers, which have fewer emissions, although Reuters witnesses saw crackers being set off outside the allotted times. According to global air quality expert SciQ Air, the resulting air pollutants, known as PM2.5, were at 442, the highest levels of any major city in the world, and 59 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended annual guidelines due to health concerns. PM2.5s are carried into the lungs and can cause serious breathing and cardiac problems. In the winter, heavy air traps construction dust. Vehicle emissions and smoke from agricultural fires all cause thick smog. Many of Delhi's 20 million residents suffer from respiratory illnesses. India's government rated air quality as very poor after Diwali, and are predicting the bad air will remain for days.

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Breakdown