In Photos: Delhi Breathes Easier As Rains Bring Respite From Poor Air Quality

In Photos: Delhi's air quality improves as rain brings relief.

Delhi's air quality improves as rain brings relief.

(Photo: FIT)

Delhiites stepped out to fresher air and clearer sites on Friday morning after overnight rains helped rapidly improve air quality in the city.

(In photo: Kartavya Path, New Delhi, on Friday, 10 November.)

An AQI display board by SAFAR India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) showed the PM2.5 levels in Lodhi road had come down to  291.

Other parts of Delhi were also blessed with cleaner air. On Friday morning, RK Puram recorded a 139 (unhealthy) AQI level. Similarly, Anand Vihar's AQI improved from 462 (severe) to 162 (unhealthy).

(In Photo: People visit the Lodhi Garden in New Delhi on Friday morning.)

Delhi had been grappling with 'hazardous' air quality and smoggy haze for the last 10 days with AQI in parts of the city crossing the 600 mark. It was the world's most polluted city till Thursday night.

Residents of the city took to social media on Friday morning to share pictures of clear skies and rejoice the cleaner air.

"#DelhiRains saves the day, much needed respite, #Delhi the natural way to get the AQI down thanks to weather gods," said one X (formerly Twitter) user.

"AQI so good, you can literally see Rashtrapati Bhawan from India Gate," said another X (formerly Twitter) user.

According to the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC), more light rainfall is expected over the weekend, which is likely to further improve the air quality.

Light showers on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, 9-10 November, led to a rapid improvement in Delhi's air quality.

Residents took to social media to rejoice the cleaner air and improved visibility after the rainfall helped clear the smoggy haze that had been lingering in the city for over 10 days.

Up till Thursday, Delhi was the most polluted city in the world.