KATHMANDU: In a stark revelation, Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has been identified as the most polluted city globally in terms of air quality, based on Friday morning’s data.

As of 9:45 am, Kathmandu’s air quality has been classified as “very unhealthy,” with PM2.5 levels reaching a concerning 198 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3).

PM2.5, the primary airborne pollutant comprising solid or liquid droplets with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, poses severe health risks.

Data from IQ AirVisual, a Swiss organization specializing in global air-quality information, indicates that Kathmandu’s PM2.5 concentration surpasses the annual air quality guideline value set by the World Health Organization (WHO) by a staggering 29.8 times.

Following Kathmandu, Lahore in Pakistan, Hanoi in Vietnam, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Delhi in India rank among the top five most polluted cities globally.

In contrast, Vienna in Austria, Montreal, and Toronto in Canada stand out as among the least polluted cities, offering a glimmer of relief amidst the concerning global air pollution crisis.