Smoke canopies as wildfire engulfs 54 districts in Nepal

Mar 27, 2021

Kathmandu (Nepal), Mar 27 (ANI): A thick layer of smoke canopied the Nepali capital Kathmandu and other cities on Friday as 54 districts throughout the nation reported wildfires. As per the Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD), a total of 54 districts now is engulfed by a forest fire which is emitting smoke into the airspace of the Himalayan Nation that has resulted in a dip in the Air Quality Index (AQI). There are a total of 54 districts in Nepal which now is engulfed by wildfire amongst which Chitwan, Parsa, Bara, and Makwanpur are severely affected. Throughout Friday, Air Quality Index of Kathmandu remained hazardous with Pm 2.5 index standing at 303.89mg/m3. People of the Himalayan Nation were experiencing teary eyes, shortness of breath, and even a drop in visibility while driving. The flights--both domestic and international--were either kept on hold, diverted, and in some cases, were canceled as the International Airport in Kathmandu was forced to be closed for about four hours due to a drop in visibility. The Ministry has asked people to avoid outdoor exercises or training till a reduction in pollution levels which already has started threatening the health condition of people. It has also asked people to stop going out for a morning walk for the next few days.