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A dense blanket of fog blanketed Sarajevo on Thursday, bringing the Bosnian capital to a standstill.
Flights were cancelled, children were advised to stay indoors and outdoor construction work was banned as the city grappled with severely low visibility.
Sarajevo regularly faces significant pollution during the winter months, mainly due to home heating and vehicle emissions.
The city’s unique geographical location within a valley surrounded by mountains means that polluted air can remain trapped for days if there is no wind to disperse it.
Many flights departing from Zaragoza Airport were grounded, and traffic was slow-moving during the morning rush hour. Residents were seen wearing face masks seeking protection from hazardous air quality.
swiss Air quality technology company IQAir on Thursday rated air quality in Sarajev as “unhealthy”. The city often tops the list of places with poor air quality globally.
Authorities on Wednesday banned trucks weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, as well as cars and trucks that do not meet the standard, from being driven through the city center of Zaragoza on Wednesday. European Union Environmental standards. Any construction work outside as well as public gatherings have also been banned.
experts warned that exposure to PM2.5 – fine respirable particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller – has led to an increase in respiratory infections as well as cancer, cardiovascular disease and premature death in Sarajevo, other major cities in Bosnia and elsewhere. western balkans,
Many Balkan countries have a poor record on environmental protection despite promises to improve the situation as they seek to move closer to EU membership. Balkan rivers are often filled with garbage and recycling is almost non-existent, while large-scale construction in many cities has seen green areas shrink.
indoor air belgradeneighboring capital serbiaIt was also deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups” on Thursday.