Relentless smog chokes Punjab, air high quality in KP’s Peshawar worsens

A man covers his face with a scarf to avoid smog as he walks along a road in Multan, Pakistan November 10, 2024. — Reuters
A person covers his face with a shawl to keep away from smog as he walks alongside a street in Multan, Pakistan November 10, 2024. — Reuters 
  • Multan registers worst air high quality with “hazardous” 955 AQI. 
  • Low visibility results in site visitors accidents in smog-hit cities.
  • Air high quality deterioration causes to well being points amongst residents. 

Residents in Punjab continued to battle poisonous smog on Monday regardless of varied mitigation measures taken by the federal government as the extent of pollution within the air rises with the drop in temperatures. 

Lahore as soon as once more ranked first in probably the most polluted large cities on the planet, whereas Multan had the worst air high quality within the nation, with the air high quality hovering above the “hazardous” class, posing well being dangers to the residents on extended publicity.

The smog-laden air that has blanketted the cities in Punjab has now floated in the direction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and engulfed provincial capital Peshawar and surrounding districts. 

Relentless smog chokes Punjab, air quality in KPs Peshawar worsens

The air high quality index in Lahore was 565 on the Swiss group’s actual time record of the cities with worst air high quality round 8:30am, with PM2.5 pollution — the superb particulate matter within the air that causes probably the most harm to well being — 71.6 occasions increased than the degrees deemed wholesome by the World Well being Organisation.

The nationwide stage AQI confirmed the air high quality in Multan “worst” with the figures of 955, whereas it was 509 in Peshawar by 8:30am — properly above the 300 mark, after which every little thing is taken into account hazardous for well being. 

Street closures

Relentless smog chokes Punjab, air quality in KPs Peshawar worsens

Moreover Lahore and Multan, a thick layer of smog shrouded Bahawalpur, Rajanpur and a number of other different cities of Punjab, decreasing visibility to zero.

The state of affairs resulted in widespread site visitors disruptions, as main motorways and roads have been closed at varied factors to forestall accidents. 

Motorway M2 was closed from Lahore to Bheeran, whereas Motorway M3 was blocked from Lahore to Durkhana. Equally, Motorway M4 was shut down from Multan to Pindi Bhattian, and Motorway M5 was closed from Multan to Sukkur. Moreover, the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway was additionally blocked, additional exacerbating the site visitors state of affairs.

Lowered the visibility additionally led to the closure of Motorway M1 from Peshawar to Rashakai and Motorway M2 from Bheera to Kot Momin. 

Within the wake of smog state of affairs, the site visitors authorities have banned the entry of heavy obligation autos in Multan. 

Areas of higher Sindh and areas bordering with Punjab have additionally been hit by polluted air, resulting in closure of Motorway M5 from Sukkur to Rahim Yar Khan. 

In the meantime, smog-crisis and consequent low visibility has additionally brought about varied street accidents, leading to a number of casualties. 

A person was killed and 6 others have been injured in several mishaps in Rahim Yar Khan.

Within the wake of those accidents, site visitors police has suggested commuters to be additional cautious and solely journey through the day hours, whereas making certain street security with the usage of fog lights. 

Flight and practice operations disruptions 

As a consequence of intense fog throughout Punjab, flight operations at Faisalabad and Multan airports have been considerably disrupted, with a number of flights diverted and others cancelled. Three flights sure for these airports have been redirected to different places, whereas two Multan-bound flights have been cancelled. 

General, the aviation sources report delays impacting 36 flights nationwide.

In line with aviation authorities, two Jeddah-to-Multan flights, SV 800 and SV 801, operated by a overseas airline, have been cancelled. A personal airline flight from Dubai to Multan (PA 811) was diverted to Karachi, whereas PK 330 from Karachi to Multan landed in Lahore. 

Moreover, G9 562, a flight from Sharjah to Faisalabad, was redirected to Lahore.

Additional delays included a flight from Multan to Dubai (FZ 326), departing almost three hours delayed, whereas a Faisalabad-to-Sharjah flight (FZ 392) was delayed by three hours. 

Karachi-to-Islamabad flight PK 300 additionally confronted over a three-hour delay, and Islamabad-to-Karachi flight PK 301 is ready to depart three hours late.

A number of flights from Karachi to worldwide locations, together with Jeddah, Istanbul, and Colombo, have been delayed. 

Islamabad-Quetta flights PK 325 and PK 326 are anticipated to depart 4 hours late, whereas flights from Islamabad to Najaf, Jeddah, Bahrain, Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur, and Dubai are additionally experiencing delays.

In the meantime, dense smog important delays in practice service as properly. The Tezgam Specific touring from Karachi to Rawalpindi was delayed by 3 hours. 

Equally, the departure of the Rehman Baba Specific from Quetta to Peshawar was delayed by 5 hours, railway authorities mentioned. 

The Pak Enterprise practice, touring from Lahore to Karachi, is dealing with an 8-hour delay, whereas the Allama Iqbal Specific touring from Karachi to Sialkot has been delayed by 5 hours. 

Furthermore, the Millat Specific, touring from Lala Musa to Karachi, is working 5 hours delayed, and the Bahawalpur Zakarai Specific from Karachi to Multan can also be dealing with a 4-hour delay, based on railway officers.

Because the nation battles air air pollution, probably the most populated province of Punjab has ordered public areas closed and banned all outside actions in smog-hit predominant cities until November 17. 

The drastic deterioration of air high quality within the smog-hit areas has brought about a rise in well being points like eye, throat infections and respiratory illnesses. 

Authorities advise residents to keep away from stepping out of their houses unnecessarily and maintain their doorways and home windows closed beside making certain masks carrying.

South Asia yearly faces extreme air pollution as a consequence of trapped mud, emissions and stubble burning — the follow of setting hearth to fields after the harvest of grain. 

The federal government within the worst-hit province has attributed this 12 months’s notably excessive air pollution ranges to poisonous air from neighbouring India, the place air high quality has additionally reached hazardous ranges.