Local authorities in Sarajevo declared a state of emergency on Thursday as the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina has become one of the most polluted cities in the world in recent days, according to air quality forecasters, AirVisual.
The capital of Kosovo, Pristina, ranked 11th as the most polluted city globally on Thursday, according to AirVisual.
Only Lahore in Pakistan and New Delhi in India were more polluted than Sarajevo worldwide on Thursday morning.
The air pollution index in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina was 290, indicating very unhealthy air quality.
The major problem is the concentration of hazardous PM 2.5 particulate matter, with 245 micrograms per cubic meter in the air, which is 49 times higher than the amount tolerated by the World Health Organization standards.
Such a concentration of particulate matter is categorized as hazardous to health.
Due to the alarming air pollution situation and initial recommendations for residents to stay outdoors as little as possible, the Sarajevo Canton Government declared a state of emergency for the four municipalities that make up the city of Sarajevo.
This means a ban on traffic in the city for EURO 3 motor vehicles and, where possible, the closure of all facilities that pollute the air by emitting dust.
The high concentration of harmful substances in Sarajevo is favored by weather conditions in which there are temperature inversions, as temperatures in the lower lands are significantly lower than those in the surrounding mountains, creating a thick fog cover over the city where there is no wind to disperse it.
Meteorologists have predicted that on Friday, stronger winds with rainfall are expected, which should contribute to improving air quality.
