The Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico has extremely poor air quality this Wednesday followingnoon, which led the Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis (CAMe) to declare a new environmental contingency for March 7.
With cut-off at 5:00 p.m., the Atmospheric Monitoring System reported that the station in Cuautitlán, in the State of Mexico, registered 173 ozone points, 23 units above the level at which the Double Today Not Circulating is activated.
At high concentrations, ozone can irritate the respiratory system; aggravate asthma and chronic lung diseases, and reduce lung function.
The metropolitan authorities asked the population of Cuautitlán not to go out on the streets and to go to the doctor if respiratory or cardiac symptoms occur. The report also adds that the air quality in CDMX is bad in Benito Juárez, Azcapotzalco, Cuauhtémoc, Venustiano Carranza, Álvaro Obregón, Tláhuac and Iztapalapa.
In the case of the State of Mexico, the air quality is very bad in Atizapán and Coacalco, and bad in Chalco, Naucalpan, Ecatepec. Tlalnepantla, Nezahualcóyotl and Tultitlán.
What cars are not circulating tomorrow, March 7?
What fires are there in CDMX this March 6?
The Fire Department of the country’s capital earlier reported a fire in the Iztapalapa mayor’s office.
“In follow-up to the fire recorded on Avenida 4 street, Santa Cruz Meyehualco neighborhood, in @Alc_Iztapalapa“We report that dry grass and leaf litter are being burned,” he posted on his X account (formerly Twitter).
Another fire was reported in the same mayor’s office, but in the Ejercito de Agua Prieta neighborhood, which is located near the FES Zaragoza.
At 1:12 p.m., the CDMX Fire Department reported another fire in the Iztapalapa mayor’s office, this time in the Valle de las Luces neighborhood in a vacant lot of approximately one thousand square meters in which there was dry grass and leaf litter.
The unusual high temperatures that have been affecting Mexico City since February increase the risk of forest fires, which is why the Secretariat of Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection (SGIRPC) asked the ‘chilanga’ population to avoid burning garbage (glasses and bottles generate a magnifying glass effect); Do not light bonfires, and notify the emergency number 911 of any incident.
Additionally, for this March 6, the SGIRPC activated the yellow alert for heat for:
- Alvaro Obregon.
- Azcapotzalco.
- Benito Juarez.
- Coyoacan.
- Cuauhtémoc.
- Gustavo A. Madero.
- Iztacalco.
- Iztapalapa.
- Miguel Hidalgo.
- Tlahuac.
- Venustiano Carranza.
- Xochimilco.
The agency warned that the thermometer will reach 30 degrees Celsius in those areas, so it asked the population not to expose themselves to the Sun for a long time; avoid eating in public due to the risk of stomach illnesses, and dress in light colors. The current heat wave will last at least until next Saturday, March 16.
What diseases are related to poor air quality?
Vulnerable groups, such as minors, are more sensitive to suffering the consequences of poor air quality. (Darkroom / Andrea Murcia Monsivais)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99 percent of the world’s population breathes air with high levels of polluting particles. The institution highlights that low- and middle-income countries are the ones that suffer the most from the consequences of environmental pollution.
The WHO warns that situations such as environmental contingencies generate very fine polluting particles that can cause or increase the risk of suffering from strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and acute and chronic respiratory diseases.
Added to this is the air pollution inside homes that can come from simple stoves that use kerosene, biomass (wood, animal manure and crop waste) and/or coal to operate.
“The combined effects of outdoor air pollution and household air pollution are associated with 7 million premature deaths per year,” adds the WHO.