Delhi air pollution jumps 78% to AQI 293 before Diwali
India
Delhi's air pollution just shot up by 78% in the week leading up to Diwali, with AQI levels jumping from 165 to 293.
This isn't new (similar spikes happened around Diwali in previous years too), but this time, pollution started out higher than usual, making things even worse.
AQI rise: Ghaziabad 94% Noida 87%
Ghaziabad and Noida weren't spared either: Ghaziabad's AQI nearly doubled (up 94%), while Noida saw an 87% jump. Greater Noida had its biggest spike in seven years.
Meanwhile, thanks to Cyclone Arnab's atmospheric effects, cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad actually saw cleaner air for a change.