Sarajevo, the third most polluted city in the world - The air quality index reaches 225!
Flights were grounded and residents of Sarajevo were told to stay indoors on Thursday after a thick 'blanket' of smog descended on the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir, Sarajevo's air quality reached an extremely unhealthy level, with an air quality indicator (AQI) of 225. This placed the city among the most polluted in the world for that day, ranking third globally.
"This is unbearable. It's suffocating, especially for those with heart disease,” said local retiree Hajra Subasic. "I'm struggling to breathe or even speak."
During the winter months, cities across the Balkans often suffer from high levels of pollution due to the extensive reliance on coal and wood for heating.
Experts have long warned that such dangerous air quality can lead to serious health problems and even shorten life expectancy. Sarajevo, which is located in a valley surrounded by mountains, is particularly vulnerable to air pollution, and poor urban planning has only exacerbated the problem.
"No one is taking measures", complains Subasic. "It's hard to believe that this is happening in the capital of Bosnia and that the authorities are doing nothing to fix it."
Despite promises by the authorities to improve environmental standards, which would be in line with aspirations for membership in the European Union, countries in the Balkans have a long history of neglecting such issues. Rivers in the region are often filled with trash and recycling efforts remain low.
On the same day, neighboring Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, also experienced "unhealthy" air quality, with an AQI score of 170.
In Sarajevo, flights were canceled early due to poor visibility caused by smog and drivers were advised to take care. Many locals wore face masks to try to protect themselves from the harmful air quality.
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