Air Pollution Surges in Male’ Amid Seasonal Wind Shift

MV+ News Desk | February 12, 2024
Photo: Jonny Belvedere on Pixabay

The seasonal transition from Hulhangu (Southwest) to Iruvai (Northeast) monsoons has escalated air pollution levels in the Male’ region today. 

According to various Air Quality Index (AQI) reports, the current air quality level approximately stands at 70. This falls within the range considered as low quality air, with AQI levels between 50 and 99, which poses health risks particularly to vulnerable individuals.

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The Met Office (Maldives Meteorological Service) attributes the current pollution spike to airflow from the eastern region of the country, impacting northern and central regions and causing a substantial reduction in visibility. Clear-day visibility of over 10km has dwindled to just 5km in central Maldives over the past 24 hours, as stated by the Met Office.

Residents are cautioned to limit outdoor activities if experiencing respiratory discomfort or throat irritation. Once air pollution surpasses an AQI of 100, more severe health issues may arise, with outdoor exposure becoming hazardous beyond an AQI of 250.

Explaining the phenomenon, the Met Office underscores the pivotal role of wind direction, speed, and rainfall in visibility fluctuations. Comparatively, this time last year witnessed a widespread pollution episode, with visibility decreasing by 60% across the nation.

Furthermore, air pollution from the Northern India Himalayan region has also had a bearing on Maldives’ air quality, echoing last year’s scenario. 

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