Delhi Experiences One Of The Hottest Mornings This Summer, Air Quality Worsens

Delhi experienced one of the hottest mornings today with the minimum temperature rising to 34 degrees Celsius, six notches above the season's average.

According to the Met department, humidity was recorded at 50 per cent.

Skies are expected to remain clear and strong dust-raising surface winds likely to prevail through the day, he said, adding the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 41 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, the maximum temperature was 41.7 degrees Celsius and the minimum settled at 30.5 degrees Celsius.

Apart from hot winds, pollution levels in Delhi have risen, adding to the capital's woes. The air quality of the national capital and surrounding areas has changed from 'moderate' to 'severe category.

Strong-anti cyclonic winds blowing from Rajasthan are said to be the reason behind the worsening air quality.

According to pollution website, many places in Delhi saw the air quality index (AQI) touching above 500, causing hazy conditions and leading to a dip in visibility.

The Air Quality Index of RK Puram read 660, while other places like Okhla Phase-II (738), PGDAV College, Sriniwaspuri (686), Punjabi Bagh (714), Mandir Marg (545) and ITO (816) saw the air quality plummet to hazardous levels.

East Delhi's Anand Vihar was worst affected with an Air Quality Index of 867.

Meanwhile, air quality in the National Capital Region also witnessed a rise in pollution levels, but remained in the 'very poor category.'

The Air Quality Index in Ghaziabad, Noida, and Gurugram touched 320, 314 and 252 respectively.

However, Faridabad recorded an Air Quality Index of 175 in the 'moderate category', the lowest among all in the Delhi-NCR region, as per aqicn.com.

According to Air Quality Index level, 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 is 'satisfactory', 101-200 is 'moderate', 201-300 is 'poor', 301-400 is 'very poor', and 401 and above is 'severe' or 'hazardous'.

A number of dust storms have struck the northern part of India several times in this year's summer season, causing casualties and loss of properties.

(With Inputs From ANI, PTI)