Choking New Delhi smog shutters schools and shrouds Cricket World Cup

CNN —

A throat-searing blanket of smog has enveloped New Delhi, forcing schools to shut and disrupting the Cricket World Cup as officials rush to contain a pollution crisis that has become an annual occurrence in the Indian capital.

“Sadly, every year when November rolls around there a sense of dread as the air turns foul,” said resident Prachi Bhuchar. “We have been in Delhi for over 15 years now, but each year makes it tougher to stay on because it is a living hell.”

The city’s air quality declined last week after colder temperatures trapped particles from surrounding crop burning, creating a toxic haze that reached hazardous levels for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.

New Delhi started the week with a PM 2.5 concentration nearly 80 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit, according to Swiss air quality company IQAir.

PM 2.5 particles include pollutants such as sulfate, nitrates and black carbon, and exposure to them can impair cognitive and immune functions with links to lung and heart disorders.

Traffic moves on a road enveloped by fog and smog in New Delhi, India, on November 3, 2023.

The pollution has threatened the ongoing Cricket World Cup after Sri Lanka was forced to cancel their training session over the weekend as the men gear up to play Bangladesh at the capital’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.

To ease conditions, India’s cricket board last week announced a ban on firework displays for the remaining matches of the tournament.

Authorities are scrambling to relieve the city of its smog, implementing emergency measures including halting non-essential truck movement and construction work. People are wearing face masks and trucks have been sprinkling water on the roads to reduce dust