Sri Lanka chokes as transboundary pollution drives air quality down

Situation expected to persist until March next year, posing ongoing health risks

- By SHEAIN FERNANDOPULLE

Air quality in several parts of Sri Lanka has plunged to unhealthy levels, driven by a mix of local pollution and smoke drifting from neighbouring nations, including northern India, experts warn.

According to real-time real-time data from the Air Quality Index (AQI), the affected areas include Kaduruwela, Chilaw, Akaragama, Wanduragala, Digana, Madampagama, Hungama, Akkaraipattu, Kalawana, Mulliyawalai, Pannankandy, Adampan, Uppuveli, and several parts of Jaffna and Colombo.