Hanoi's air quality tumbles to harmful levels

At 8:30 a.m., a station on Nguyen Van Cu Street, Long Bien District by the Pollution Control Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) value at 225, meaning "very unhealthy" levels of air pollution that affect everyone.

Among the 16 stations of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, seven of them recorded "unhealthy" AQI values between 151-200, seven others at 101-150 levels which mean the air quality is "unhealthy for sensitive groups", two at the "moderate" 51-100 range and none at the good quality range 0-50.

Stations on Pham Van Dong Street, Bac Tu Liem District recorded the highest AQI values at 194, and a station on Ly Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem District recorded AQI levels at 184.

Among the stations of the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, one station at the United Nations International School of Hanoi in Tay Ho District recorded an AQI value at 270.

Switzerland-based air quality monitoring facility IQAir AirVisual on Tuesday ranked Hanoi the fourth most polluted city in the world, behind India's Delhi and Pakistan's Karachi and Lahore.

The Pollution Control Department said there have been dust pollution in certain Vietnam localities in recent days, especially in Hanoi. Dry weather conditions have caused dust to spread, and the burning of trash and other leftover agricultural products also contributed to more pollution.

"Air quality is getting worse, and harbors the risk of affecting the community’s health and socio-economic development," the department said.

Hoang Van Thuc, head of the department, has requested localities to continue monitoring air quality, announce results and recommend people to have protective measures, especially for those who go out at 5-7 a.m. and 2-7 p.m.