The Air Quality of Mumbai has dropped to poor category on Thursday morning after briefly being 'Satisfactory' for past few days earlier this week. According to national Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring platform - oneindia.com, the overall AQI level of Mumbai has reached the 208 mark, while the AQI in some of the pockets has reached the very poor stage.
Following the heavy unseasonal rains that lashed the maximum city for three days, the Mumbai skyline has been filled with haze. Weather experts stated the AQI will remain the same way for the remaining days of this week and will gradually improve early next week.
"A cyclonic circulation at the Karnataka coastline has caused low wind speed and high humidity in Mumbai, due to which mist and haze has formed and the pollutants are lingering in the lower part of the atmosphere which is affecting the atmosphere," Mahesh Palawat, vice president - Skymet weathers told FPJ.
Palawat stated that as soon as the wind speed improves the AQI will improve as the pollutants would not be able to last in the atmosphere for long.
An AQI of 0-50 is regarded as good, while 51-100 is regarded as satisfactory, 101-200 is regarded as moderate, 201-300 is considered to be poor, 301-400 is marked as very poor and between 401-500 is identified as severe. The poor AQI causes breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure, while very poor AQI can cause respiratory illness.
Of the various areas in Mumbai, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) has, reported the worst AQI of 355, followed by Sion with 289 AQI, Kurla with 286 AQI and Kandivli east with 250 AQI.
