- Smoke from Chaquiao affects people’s health and triggers air pollution index
IThe city of La Paz, the seat of Bolivia’s government, has been plunged into an unprecedented state of environmental emergency due to air pollution caused by smog from the nearby Chaqueao area. The deleterious effects of this situation led the Mayor’s Office to convene a meeting of the Municipal Emergency Operations Committee (COEM) to take immediate measures.
Residents of La Paz are facing many health problems due to poor air quality. The most common symptoms include lung damage, asthma attacks, persistent coughing and eye irritation. These harmful effects are further exacerbated by an alarming rise in the Air Pollution Index (AQI), which has reached an alarming 208. In the long term, a range of 51 to 100 is considered acceptable, but La Paz has far exceeded this limit in recent days.
In addition to respiratory problems, people face other health risks such as chronic fatigue, bronchitis and rapid heartbeat. La Paz Mayor Iván Arias expressed concern about the critical situation, saying: “The city of La Paz is going through a critical moment. We have never reached such severe levels of pollution.”
The smoke that enveloped the city came from several sources, including Pilon Lajas Park, Mapiri, Karanawi and Guanai. The situation prompted the mayor’s office to take precautionary measures. Municipal Environmental Management and Renewable Energy Secretary Eduardo Galindo advised people to take preventive measures such as using masks, strict food hygiene, drinking boiled water and using hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. Reduce the adverse effects of exposure to polluted air.
Galindo also pointed out that there will be no restrictions on outdoor activities and no school closures at this time, but all preventive actions will be evaluated at the COEM meeting to seek immediate solutions to this environmental crisis that affects health. Quality of life for residents of La Paz. Concrete measures to mitigate the impact of this emergency and restore the city’s air quality are eagerly awaited.