Delhi's most polluted Diwali in 5 years linked to firecrackers
India
Delhi just had its most polluted Diwali in five years, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 376 at 4pm on Nov. 8.
Firecrackers played a big part, responsible for 41.1% of the pollution before Diwali.
PM2.5 levels were off the charts too, averaging 671.1 micrograms per cubic meter at midnight.
Jahangirpuri readings nearly 5,000 ug/m3
One area, Jahangirpuri, saw an extreme spike of nearly 5,000 micrograms per cubic meter.
A sudden shift in wind direction helped clear out some of the smog and kept crop-burning smoke from nearby states from making things worse.
Still, this year's numbers are a strong reminder that Delhi's air quality battle is far from over.