Thick smog cloaked Delhi on Wednesday as the Indian capital’s winter pollution worsened a week ahead of the Diwali festival, when firecrackers typically intensify the haze. The citywide air quality index reached 379 at 10 a.m., near the top end of what India describes as “very poor,” according to the Central Pollution Control Board data. The average concentration of fine particulate matter that can penetrate lungs and enter the bloodstream reached 277, more than 18 times the 24-hour level recommended by the World Health Organization.
The deterioration marks a reversal from an AQI of 166 last month — the cleanest October in eight years — as unusually heavy rain washed away pollutants and favorable airflow helped disperse emissions.
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