Authorities in Santiago, Chile, decreed an environmental alert status on Thursday due to extremely poor air quality. This is the 12th alert declared this year in the Chilean capital inhabited by nearly seven million people.
Santiago has long struggled with some of the country’s highest levels of air pollution. This has been due to the widespread use of diesel vehicles lacking catalytic converters, heavy smokestack industry, and the burning of firewood. Additionally, the entire city is contained within the Santiago Basin – a valley sandwiched between the Andes and a smaller mountain range. During periods of low rainfall or limited wind, the basin has a tendency to trap air pollution.
However, authorities have also recently blamed the critical air pollution on the smoke coming from the barbecues of Chilean football fans celebrating their national soccer team’s Copa America Centenario triumph.
Source: TeleSur
