For the first time, Hanoi's city government has begun offering daily readings of the capital's Air Quality Index (AQI).
VnExpress reports that an official website now displays real-time air quality and flooding data, though it is only in Vietnamese at the moment. The site collects data from tracking stations across the city, according to the news source, and also provides visual updates on rain in the 16 most flood-prone areas.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the AQI readings are off to a bad start in 2017. According to VnExpress, the Nhon tracking station in Tu Liem District registered AQI readings above 300 (considered "hazardous") on the first two days of the year, followed by 200-300 ("very unhealthy") and 100-200 ("unhealthy") over the next four days.
Much of the blame for these dangerous readings has been placed on Hanoi's ever-growing fleet of motor vehicles. The news source reports the city is now home to 5.5 million individual vehicles, nearly 5 million of which are motorbikes. This comes out to more than 70 cars and nearly 700 motorbikes for every kilometer of road in the capital.
Meanwhile, Saigon has yet to begin providing official AQI readings to local residents. Saigoneers must rely instead on the AQI reader stationed at the US Consulate.
[Photo via CNA]
