The streets of Vietnam's capital city Hanoi were enveloped in thick smog on Monday which dramatically reduced visibility due to air pollution caused by high levels of particulates from vehicle emissions and construction-linked fine dust.
Levels of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 in the air in Hanoi were at 187 micrograms per cubic metre late on Monday, the highest among a list of most polluted international cities, according to data from AirVisual, which provides independent global air pollution information via a phone app.
"This is damaging for our health," said Duong Kim Oanh, a 58-year-old Hanoi resident. "I think Hanoi's pollution is caused by a large number of personal vehicles and the fine dust from all the construction, plus this cold weather."
According to a 2021 World Bank report, emissions from Hanoi's 8 million registered vehicles made up 30% of air particulate pollution, and industry emissions another 30%.
The pollution "will affect people's respiratory system, making people feel sick or even suffocated," said Pham Thi Phuong, another resident.
Nearly 100 flights to and from the international airport in Hanoi were delayed or diverted to other cities on Feb. 2 due to heavy fog and worsening air pollution.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 25.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with the weather office predicting light to moderate rain.
Cloud seeding is generally considered moderately effective, with studies and real-world programmes showing it can increase rainfall under the right conditions.
Paris has traded automotive routes for bike lanes, adding green spaces and eliminating 50,000 parking spaces.
In a first for the national capital, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain aimed at reducing air pollution, with cloud seeding scheduled between July 4 and 11, subject to weather conditions, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said.
Thunderstorm and rain likely in Delhi on Friday, says India Meteorological Department, with minimum temperature stood at 29 degrees Celsius. Maximum may hit 37 degrees Celsius. AQI at satisfactory level, reading 95.
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