Deutsche Welle :
Nepal’s Kathmandu has been covered by a toxic haze of dust and smoke for multiple days, with the sun glowing an eerie red through the smog. The Himalayan nation is famous for its mountains, including Mount Everest, but its capital is located in a valley which hasn’t seen significant rainfall in six months. Widespread forest fires in the valley’s vicinity – particularly in the southern and eastern regions – have sent air pollution levels spiking, along with vehicle emissions and stagnant air trapped by the city’s unique topography.
“Kathmandu Valley is shaped like a bowl. When there is no rainfall, pollutants remain suspended in the air without settling, and there is little wind movement. As a result, pollution accumulates in the valley,” Bidhya Banmali Pradhan, an air pollution specialist at International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), told DW.
ICIMOD is a regional body whose members include Nepal, India, China, and Pakistan. Recent ICIMOD data shows rising carbon monoxide levels in Kathmandu’s air, posing a serious risk to human health. Flights at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport have been repeatedly disrupted due to poor visibility.
The Nepalese capital is currently ranked as the world’s most polluted city in the terms of air quality by the IQ Air, a Swiss-based platform aggregating information on air pollution from various sources including governments, companies, and NGOs.
Its Air Quality Index (AQI) considers pollution levels between 0 and 50 to be good, 51-100 moderate, 101-150 unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 unhealthy, 201-300 very unhealthy, and anything above 301 is deemed hazardous.
Last Thursday, Kathmandu’s average AQI reached 348, with some areas recording levels over 400. Since then, the city has consistently topped global pollution rankings with AQI levels above 200. But Nepal’s air pollution troubles stretch far beyond its capital. Many regions in Nepal’s south and east have also become unhealthy, AQI data shows.
