Different cities in the province of Punjab (Pakistan) are still facing severe smog. The foggy weather and the dense smog made the weather conditions worst. By Tuesday, Lahore stood among the top three most polluted cities in the world.
Today (January 04, 2023), the air quality index (AQI) of Lahore spiked to 236. A day earlier, on Tuesday (January 03, 2023), the AQI remained at 214, which means that the air quality has become drastically poorer in one day.
According to IQAir, the air quality of Lahore is persistently marked as unhealthy for the fourth day of the new year. The severe foggy, chilly weather and smog together resulted in extreme weather conditions in Lahore. Different areas of Lahore city faded to the worst, forcing the citizens to stay at home.
Citizens also reported the effects of smog on their health such as watery eyes, cough, nasal congestion, breathing problems, skin rashes, etc. Amidst such drastic weather conditions, senior pulmonologists of Pakistan advised the citizens to wear face masks.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Government of Punjab, recommended citizens take precautionary measures such as minimizing traveling and avoiding going outside; drinking enough water and fresh juices to stay hydrated; prohibiting smoking and smoke-producing vehicles; increasing the intake of vitamins, minerals, and protein, magnesium, and omega fatty acids by eating fruits, vegetables, and dairy products; and avoid traveling at night, as poor visibility might result in road traffic accidents.
Earlier, the air quality monitoring department, iqair.com released the official air quality ranking of the world. According to this list, Delhi remained at the top with the worst air quality index at 290 AQI, in the second position stood Sarajevo (Bosnia, Herzegovina) with 221 AQI, and Lahore (Pakistan) ranked third with 197 AQI.
Here, it is pertinent to note that every year 7 million people have to face the severe impacts of air pollution globally and smog plays a crucial role in deteriorating air quality. In the current days, Lahorites are among the primary victims of air pollution.
Moreover, according to IQAir, the air quality of Lahore is expected to worsen in the coming days or weeks.