KATHMANDU: Kathmandu has been ranked as the No 1 city with high air pollution, according to a real-time index of air pollution monitoring website iqair.com.

Today, Nepal’s capital has 294 AQI (Air Quality Index).

Kathmandu has topped the chart with Beijing (183 AQI) at second place followed by Mumbai (174) and Dhaka (161) on the third and fourth place respectively.

Dust particles have gathered in the air due to the lack of rainfall polluting the air further.

Generally, AQI below 50 is considered good air and above 300 indicates that air poses risk to human health.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology’s Sajina Shakya, air pollution is high in the capital today due to dust particles carried by wind from the Thar desert in India. The Thar desert stretches over Indian states Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Increased air pollution and low visibility have also resulted in suspension of flights at Tribhuvan International Airport.