Hanoi's smog reduces but still among the world's most polluted

This morning (December 3), visibility in Hanoi improved as the thick layer of fog that has covered the city for many days began to clear, thanks to the impact of the Northeast monsoon.

At 10am the same day, many buildings, trees and urban structures appeared more clearly, creating a brighter feeling than the previous days. However, the air quality was still at an alarming level.

The monsoon helps Hanoi reduce smog, but air quality remains poor. (Photo: Vien Minh)

According to the IQAir global air quality monitoring and evaluation system, at 11:00 a.m. on December 3, the air quality index (AQI) in Hanoi reached 197, in the red level, which is considered harmful to health. The concentration of fine dust PM2.5 was recorded at about 65 µg/m³, more than 4 times higher than the recommendation of the World Health Organization (15 µg/m³).

Serious pollution is concentrated in many areas such as Quang Khanh, Lo Duc, Tay Mo, Thach That, Ha Bang,... where AQI exceeds 200, purple level - very harmful to people's health. These indexes make Hanoi continue to be in the top 10 most polluted cities in the world .

Environmental experts warn that although weather conditions temporarily improve visibility, air pollution still exists silently and directly affects public health, especially children, the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions.

People are advised to limit going out during peak hours, wear anti-dust masks, and use health protection measures when exposed outdoors for long periods of time. Meanwhile, authorities continue to monitor and evaluate air quality to issue timely warnings.

On the global air quality monitoring and assessment system IQAir, Hanoi is still in the top 10 most polluted cities in the world on the morning of December 3. (Photo: Air Visual)

Faced with the situation of continuously low air quality for many days, the Hanoi People's Committee has issued a document requesting departments, branches and localities to strengthen strong response measures to reduce emissions and protect people's health.

According to the document, the Hanoi People's Committee requested the Department of Education and Training to instruct schools to limit outdoor activities when the VN-AQI (Vietnam Air Quality Index) is at the "bad" level. If the air quality changes to the "very hazardous" level (301 points or higher), educational institutions must consider suspending in-person classes, adjusting timetables or switching to appropriate teaching methods to minimize the impact on students.

The Hanoi People's Committee has directed the Department of Health to prepare guidance documents for people to identify bad air conditions and to recommend reducing outdoor exposure, especially in the early morning and at night. Hospitals in the inner city are preparing to increase their capacity and be ready to receive a possible increase in respiratory patients during days of heavy pollution.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment is responsible for regularly updating information on air quality and monitoring the VN-AQI index at monitoring stations on the electronic information portal.

Construction sites are enhancing dust control by covering, washing vehicles, misting, and monitoring with AI-enabled cameras at large projects. Some residential areas, parks, and main roads will be piloted with misting to reduce dust, contributing to reducing the concentration of fine dust in the air. Production facilities with high risk of emissions are encouraged to adjust the operating schedule of dust-generating stages to more favorable weather periods.

Comment (0)