AP PHOTOS: Thick smog shrouds Asian cities

Thick smog shrouded New Delhi and other cities around South and Southeast Asia as air pollution levels soared Thursday. Air pollution in the region worsens particularly in winter when the burning of crop residue in agricultural areas coincides with cooler temperatures that trap the smoke. The smoke is blown into cities, where there are more people and where auto emissions further add to the pollution. Emissions from industries without pollution controls and the use of coal to produce electricity are also linked to poor air quality in urban areas. Several studies have estimated more than a million Indians die each year from air pollution-related diseases. New Delhi’s air quality fell into the severe category, according to SAFAR, India’s main environmental monitoring agency. It measures particulate matter in the air that can enter the lungs. In many areas of the city, the levels were more than 50 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit. Forecasters...