Delhi's Toxic Sky

Toward the end of autumn, parts of northern India and Pakistan are frequently covered by a thick smog caused by a temperature inversion that traps smoke from burning crops, dust, and emissions from factories and vehicles—intensifying some of the worst air pollution in the world. This year the air quality has been particularly poor, causing flights to be cancelled, schools to be closed, and medical authorities to describe the situation as a public health emergency in recent weeks. Below, a few images of people navigating the smog in New Delhi and in Lahore, Pakistan.

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