Hanoi wakes up to toxic air as real-time monitoring portal goes offline

By 7 a.m., AQI levels at the monitoring station outside Hanoi University of Science and Technology had climbed from 150 the night before to 210, a level known to cause serious health impacts.

Other hotspots included Nguyen Van Cu (197), Khuat Duy Tien Park (160), and heavily affected neighborhoods such as Thanh Xuan, Le Duan, Tay Ho and Vinh Tuy, where AQI readings on the IQAir network ranged from 223 to 282.

Northern provinces were also engulfed in poor-quality air: Hung Yen’s Thang Long 2 Industrial Park reported 170; Bac Giang authorities logged 154; Hai Duong and Phu Ly reached 153; and Thai Binh Bridge hit 189.

Adding to public frustration, Hanoi’s own air-quality portal moitruongthudo.vn went offline on Sunday morning due to an expired domain, leaving residents unable to check real-time data. Global aggregator IQAir briefly ranked Hanoi the world’s fifth most polluted city, comparable to Delhi, Kolkata, Tashkent and Baghdad.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has ordered urgent measures across multiple sectors to curb air pollution. Thermal-power, steel, chemical and fertilizer plants must ensure emission-control systems are running at full efficiency, cut output when AQI exceeds 200, and strictly avoid releasing untreated exhaust. Construction sites are required to shield work areas, wash trucks, spray mist to suppress dust, or halt high-dust activities on hazardous days.

Traffic police were told to crack down on uncovered material-transport vehicles and aging trucks emitting black smoke. Health officials are advising residents, especially children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor exposure. Schools received instructions to restrict outside activities when pollution reaches unhealthy levels.

Authorities say they will use satellite data, drones and online monitoring to identify unusual emission sources and publicly disclose violations as Hanoi braces for more stagnant winter air in the days ahead.