Air pollution engulfs HCM City, poses health risks to residents

Over the past few days, Ho Chi Minh City has been shrouded in a hazy mist from early morning.

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Despite sunny weather and no rain, visibility in the city has been significantly reduced.

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The city’s skyline appears opaque, with high-rise buildings seemingly submerged in a thick fog.

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The phenomenon is attributed to a cold air mass moving southward from the north, combined with high humidity near ground level, creating a misty layer close to the surface.

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According to IQAir, an online air quality monitoring system managed by a Switzerland-based organization with extensive data on global air quality, the city’s air quality has been consistently poor and is worsening.

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As of the morning of January 14, the city’s air pollution index (AQI) reaches a “very unhealthy” level of 214, ranking as the second most polluted city globally after Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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Monitoring data indicate that air pollution levels in many parts of the city have exceeded the “red” threshold and shifted into the “purple” category (AQI 201–300), signifying very poor air quality that could pose health risks to residents.

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At the International School Ho Chi Minh City in Thao Dien Ward, the AQI hits 267, with fine particulate matter concentrations at 192.5 µg/m³, 38.5 times the safe limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO).