Diwali in Haryana pushes 15 cities to severe AQI levels
India
Diwali celebrations in Haryana left the air seriously polluted, with 15 out of 23 cities hitting "severe" Air Quality Index (AQI) levels right after the festival.
The worst readings, touching a maxed-out AQI of 500, came between midnight and 2am mostly because firecracker restrictions/orders weren't really followed.
Experts warn high PM2.5 in Haryana
Ignoring firecracker restrictions wasn't the only problem; smoke from stubble burning and weather that trapped pollution made things even tougher to breathe.
Experts are worried about high PM2.5 levels, which can harm your lungs and heart.
Before Diwali, air quality was already bad, but during the festival, not a single city had "satisfactory" air.