KATHMANDU, April 14: Kathmandu has secured the position of the second most-polluted city globally on Sunday, based on its air pollution levels.
At present, the air quality in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, is deemed unhealthy, with PM2.5 levels soaring to 175 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) as recorded at 9:00 AM, according to the data from IQ Air, an organization specializing in global air-quality information.
Kathmandu's air quality slightly improves but still unhealthy
This places Kathmandu as the second most polluted city globally.
PM2.5, the primary airborne pollutant consisting of solid or liquid droplets with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, poses significant health risks.
The current PM2.5 concentration in Kathmandu exceeds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual air quality guideline value by 20.5 times, as reported by IQAir.
Kathmandu’s designation as the second most-polluted city globally is based on IQAir rankings, with Dhaka in Bangladesh holding the top spot.
