Flights delayed, schools shut as Delhi battles for breath

Reuters - Severe smog caused flight delays and school closings in New Delhi on Monday (November 4). Passengers could be seen waiting for flights that were either delayed or cancelled due to poor visibility brought by the smog at Indira Gandhi International Airport. "We are facing difficulty breathing and there is a burning sensation in our eyes, as if someone has put chilly in my eyes," said Bhairon Singh, who works at the airport. The city government has declared a public health emergency, and imposed measures to ban a certain portion of vehicles from the road, at least until November 15. The city also ordered all construction work to stop and schools to shut. The U.S. Embassy air quality index, which measures the concentration of tiny PM 2.5 particles, exceeded 500, indicating serious aggravation of heart and lung disease, and premature mortality in people with existing diseases and the elderly. Pollution at this level also means serious risk of effects on the respiratory systems of the general population.