Island’s air quality deteriorates further: NBRO

The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has issued a warning that the island's air quality has deteriorated further to an unhealthy level in some areas.

According to the NBRO, the air quality has dropped to an unsafe level due to an increase in dust particles in the atmosphere, which has resulted in the foggy or misty conditions seen these days in numerous areas of the island.

According to the NBRO, one of the main causes of this problem is an influx of dust particles that are polluting Sri Lanka's air space due to strong winds coming from India.

On Thursday (08), Colombo's air quality was 249 according to the US Air Quality Index (AQI).

Kurunegala had an AQI value of 291, Jaffna of 280, Vavuniya of 251, and Kandy of 214. A warning has also been issued for Puttalam and Hambantota after it was determined that the air quality is deteriorating further.

According to the NBRO, many regions of the country had air quality readings between 150 and 200, which is considered unhealthy.

As a result of the poor air quality in the nation, Dr Channa de Silva, a paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital, urged young people, the elderly, and anyone with allergies and respiratory conditions to stay indoors.

He said that in order to defend against the unhealthy decline in air quality, it is far healthier to use a face mask while outdoors and spend as much time indoors as you can.

NBRO TESTING AIR QUALITY