Dust Storm Engulfs Dakar, Air Pollution Reaches Dangerous Levels
A dust warning has been issued for the entire country of Senegal, according to the National Civil Aviation and Meteorology Agency (ANACIM). The warning states that a period of dust will affect the country from today until the weekend, urging people to stay indoors unless necessary and to wear masks when going outside.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Dakar has surpassed 700 in the city center, reaching a “dangerous” level. A healthy AQI value falls between 0 and 50, indicating the severity of the pollution in the area. The streets of the capital have been enveloped in dust clouds, leading to visibility dropping below 500 meters.
In Dakar, the concentration of fine particle pollution known as PM2.5 has soared to 448 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Levels of PM2.5 below 12 are considered “healthy”, but prolonged exposure to high levels can result in severe health issues and premature death.
Recent scientific data shows that PM2.5 pollution was responsible for 1.1 million deaths in Africa in 2019. This type of pollution, which is much smaller than desert sand particles, can enter the lungs and bloodstream, posing a risk to pregnant women and causing premature birth and miscarriage.
Dakar has been identified as one of the most polluted capital cities in Africa, with factors such as industrial waste, old vehicle emissions, and traffic congestion contributing to the poor air quality. In addition to human-made pollution, dust clouds carrying sand from the Sahara Desert also play a significant role in exacerbating pollution levels in Dakar and its surrounding areas.
Desert dust mixed with sand, originating from the Sahara Desert, accounts for half of the atmospheric dust emissions and is transported to the coastal regions of West Africa by strong winds. This phenomenon further compounds the air pollution issues faced by residents of Dakar and other nearby areas.
