A thick, toxic smog has choked eastern Pakistan and northern India for weeks, creating a public health emergency, according to CNN. The pollution, captured in striking satellite imagery from NASA Worldview, has forced schools to close and public spaces to shut down as the acrid air threatens the health of millions. Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, is facing unprecedented levels of pollution, with its air quality index exceeding hazardous levels. Hospitals are overflowing with patients suffering from respiratory problems caused by the smog, CNN’s Helen Regan and Sophia Saifi reported.
This dangerous air quality is a result of several factors, including agricultural burning, coal-fired power plants, traffic, and stagnant air conditions. The pollution worsens in winter as colder air traps pollutants instead of allowing them to disperse. Images from Pakistani cities like Lahore and Multan show a dark haze engulfing streets and obscuring buildings. In some areas, the level of PM2.5, the tiniest and most dangerous pollutant, is over 110 times higher than the safe levels set by the World Health Organization.
Children are especially susceptible to the health impacts of the smog, with millions under the age of five exposed to the toxic air. UNICEF has expressed concern about the well-being of children forced to breathe this polluted air, emphasizing their vulnerability due to underdeveloped lungs and immune systems. Officials are calling for urgent action to address this crisis, including dialogue with India on the issue.
The climate crisis is expected to worsen air pollution, leading to even more severe health consequences in the future. Scientists warn that extreme heat and altered weather patterns will further hinder the dispersion of pollutants. This smog crisis underscores the urgent need for regional and global cooperation to tackle air pollution and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Image—CNN/Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images
