Tehran, Iran, Nov. 14
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Unprecedented air pollution forced officials of Iran’s capital city Tehran to cancel schools for two days, November 14 and 15, Tehran Education Department reported November 14.
This is the first of the winter’s heavy pollution to hit the Iranian capital during the current Iranian year, which started March 20.
A blanket of choking smog descended on the city November 13, leading many of its 14 million residents to retreat indoors or put on face masks in the street.
The level of the deadliest PM2.5 particles hit 156 on November 14, more than three times the level considered safe by the World Health Organization.
The polluted days have been on the rise in frequency and intensity over the past years as more cars and motorcycles pour into the streets.
Whereas the city can handle 1 million cars, over 5 million are frequenting the streets right now.
The hike in pollution during the winter is attributed to inversion, which designates the situation when smoke is unable to rise above cold weather and stays as a blanket above the city.