Hazardous air pollution engulfs Hanoi

Shrouded visibility: According to Tung, this incident was the worst air quality to hit Hanoi so far. — Vietnam News/ANN

Hanoi: Vietnam’s capital city choked on unprecedented poisonous air with the air quality index (AQI) monitored at most sensor stations reaching hazardous levels of above 300.

The AQI recorded on Tuesday at Long Bien District’s Nguyen Van Cu Station, for example, hit 344 at 5am then dropped to 270 – very unhealthy – at 8am.