Major cities of Nepal face air pollution due to forest fires

Authorities in Nepal have urged people in major cities, especially children, senior citizens, and persons with breathing problems and heart diseases, to stay indoors after air pollution increased in various parts of the country due to incidents of forest fires.According to the Department of Forest and Environment, polluted air has got accumulated in the Kathmandu Valley.The Department in a statement said that forest fires in 140 locations including in Bara, Parsa and Chitwan have contributed to air pollution at the excessive level in the Valley and in the central and eastern regions of the country.

Authorities in Nepal have urged people in major cities, especially children, senior citizens, and persons with breathing problems and heart diseases, to stay indoors after air pollution increased in various parts of the country due to incidents of forest fires.

According to the Department of Forest and Environment, polluted air has got accumulated in the Kathmandu Valley.

The Department in a statement said that forest fires in 140 locations including in Bara, Parsa and Chitwan have contributed to air pollution at the excessive level in the Valley and in the central and eastern regions of the country. It is more intense in the mornings and evenings, according to the Department.

The Department has urged people mainly children, senior citizens, persons with breathing problems and heart diseases to stay indoors as much as possible and wear masks and take all the possible safety measures in case of urgency to go outside.

The Air Quality Index showed that the air quality in most of the places in the Kathmandu district has already crossed the danger line. Besides Kathmandu, the air quality has worsened in Butwal, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, and Hetauda.

The problem of high levels of air pollution facing major cities of Nepal including Pokhara and Kathmandu has also affected domestic flights, according to officials.

Due to the low visibility, no aircraft were able to land at the airport until 3:30 PM on Friday.

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