Thailand: Chiang Mai suffers from serious fine-dust pollution
Hanoi (VNA) - Government
agencies in Thailand's Chiang Mai were ordered to let staff work from home to protect
their health as levels of PM2.5 smog surged to almost unprecedented levels.
Local residents have
been requested to limit going outdoors amidst hazardous levels of air pollution.
On April 7 morning, the air
monitoring website IQAir ranked Chiang Mai as the most polluted major city in
the world, ahead of regular hotspots such as Delhi and Lahore of India.
Levels of the most dangerous PM2.5 particles - so tiny they can enter the
bloodstream - were more than 66 times the World Health Organization's annual
guideline, according to IQAir.
This tourist city has been shrouded in smoke
from forest fires and seasonal
agricultural burning in recent weeks.
According to the Thai Ministry of Health, nearly 2 million people in Thailand have been hospitalised for respiratory
illnesses related to air pollution so far this year.
In February, the Thai government advised
people to wear masks when going out and consider working from home to avoid
PM2.5 fine dust pollution./.