New Delhi, NOV 25: Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday as the city experienced a thick haze and concerns grew over ash clouds originating from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano. The shield volcano erupted on Sunday, producing an ash plume rising approximately 14 km (45,000 feet) and spreading eastward over the Red Sea. IMD forecasts indicated that the ash would move towards China and exit India’s atmosphere by Tuesday evening.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that the city’s AQI stood at 360 on Tuesday morning, down slightly from 382 on Monday. At Rohini monitoring station, the AQI reached ‘severe’ levels at 416, according to the Sameer app developed by the CPCB. Officials said the air quality is expected to remain ‘very poor’ for the next few days.
“Citizens should avoid prolonged outdoor exposure and take precautions to protect respiratory health, particularly children and the elderly,” a CPCB official mentioned.
The CPCB defines AQI levels as follows: 0-50 ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.
Meanwhile, the IMD reported Delhi’s minimum temperature at 9 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees below the seasonal average, with the maximum expected to reach around 27 degrees Celsius. Moderate fog and mist are forecasted through the day. “Calm winds combined with haze are reducing air circulation, worsening pollutant concentration in the city,” said an IMD spokesperson.
Authorities urged residents to monitor air quality updates regularly and follow health advisories until the haze dissipates and pollutant levels improve.
