Air pollution in Kathmandu has reached an extremely unhealthy level today, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting 247. Currently, Nepal ranks as the second most polluted country in the world, following Pakistan in the first position. According to the Nepal government’s AQI classification, values between 201 and 300 are considered very unhealthy, while those above 301 are deemed hazardous.
On April 23, Kathmandu’s air quality has severely deteriorated. This morning, real-time measurements from the Swiss platform IQAir recorded an AQI of 247, which dropped slightly to 216 by the time this report was prepared. An AQI between 201 and 300 falls under the very unhealthy category.
Nepal now stands second on the list of the world’s most polluted countries, with Pakistan leading. In the Kathmandu Valley, dense smog was visible today. According to the Nepal government’s AQI scale, 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151–200 unhealthy, 201–300 very unhealthy, and above 301 hazardous.
