Mumbai breathes dust 2nd day on the trot

The haze witnessed by Mumbaikars on Wednesday spilled over to the next day, with the dust apparently refusing to settle down.

Sandstorms in Rajasthan on Tuesday and Wednesday had turned the city air thick and seemingly impenetrable, increasing pollution levels by nearly 500%.

“North-easterly winds brought dust particles from Rajasthan to Mumbai via Gujarat and Dahanu. However, compared to Wednesday, the visibility was better in the city yesterday (Thursday), with the wind speed being normal,” said VK Rajeev, director, meteorological department, Mumbai.

A wind speed of 5-10 knots is considered normal, and anything more than 20 knots is deemed strong.

The department added that dust particles dispersed to other parts of the state on Thursday. Suspended particles had reached Mumbai via the coastal line and spread up to Ratnagiri, but did not cross the Western Ghat line, they said.

“The air is expected to clear by Friday morning, unless there is another storm reported (in Rajasthan),” said Rajeev.

On Wednesday, several city residents, especially senior citizens with respiratory ailments, complained of breathlessness. Visibility at the Santacruz airport dropped to 1200 metres, and the suspended particulate matter (SPM) levels across the city rose six times, in what experts were calling a historic phenomenon.