Mexico City Rated with 'Extremely Bad'Air Pollution

Mexico City is experiencing for the third day its worst environmental crisis in 14 years due to poor air quality resulting from a high concentration of pollutants, environmental authorities said. 

The "extremely" bad air quality is a result of automobile and industry emissions paired with a lack of winds and an atmospheric thermal inversion. However, it follows days of intense winds that literally caused billboards to fall on cars. 

The crisis has led to the closure of schools and suspension of outdoors activities in cultural centers, museums, parks and public sports centers. Authorities have also implemented vehicular restrictions.

OPINION: In China, ‘the More Smog in the Sky, the More People Will Buy’

“It is suffocating, I have itchy throat and eyes, authorities say their are doing everything possible to control the situation but is not true, the streets are full of cars and vehicles that clearly do not meet environmental regulations,” Nina Carrasco, a resident of Mexico City, told teleSUR. 

Air pollution in Mexico City is a continuing concern for citizens, health experts, and environmentalists. Health officials have warned that air pollution in Mexico kills about 20,000 people each year.