Chernobyl zone forest fire increases Kiev air pollution

Air pollution in Ukraine’s capital exceeded the normal level by several times on Friday as a forest fire was burning in the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Kiev region, Interfax Ukraine news agency reported on Friday.

At 9 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Friday, Kiev topped the global list of cities with the most polluted air with its pollution index reaching 380.

The visibility in the capital was significantly low. Kiev city administration urged residents not to open windows and stay indoors.

Currently, 1,100 personnel and two helicopters are working on extinguishing the blaze that started on April 4 around the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

According to the IQAir service, the air in Kiev will be clear by Saturday morning.

Read alsoThe story of the only Hungarian to survive Chernobyl without getting ill from radiation

Source: Xinhua