Iran Meteorological Organization warns of continuing air pollution

The Meteorological Organization issued a yellow alarm and urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel.

It added that from Friday to Saturday, in the event of failure to control fixed and mobile pollutant sources, pollution will increase to unhealthy levels for sensitive groups and in high-traffic and industrial areas, it’s likely that air pollution will increase to unhealthy levels for all groups.

In these weather conditions, the Meteorological Organization recommends citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in cities, especially for the elderly, children and people with a history of disease. People should eschew physical and sports activities outdoors and manage fossil fuel consumption and industrial units should also decrease the time of operation of polluted areas.

A yellow alert means that an atmospheric phenomenon will occur that may interfere with travel and daily activities. This alert is issued to raise public awareness so people can be prepared to deal with the atmospheric phenomenon that is slightly more severe than usual.

Iranian health officials say air pollution is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year in Iranian cities. Each winter, Iran’s capital Tehran suffers some of the worst pollutions in the world through thermal inversion. This is a phenomenon that traps hazardous air over the city.