{
  "id": 17524937,
  "title": "Colombo fourth most polluted city",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/colombo-fourth-most-polluted-city",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-01T00:04:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/colombo-fourth-most-polluted-city/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Colombo has been identified as the fourth most polluted city in Sri Lanka, according to recent air quality data released by IQAir at 10:30 a.m. The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 102, placing it just below the threshold of \"unhealthy for sensitive groups\" which ranges from 101 to 150 on the US AQI scale. This classification means that children, older adults, and individuals with respiratory or heart conditions are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of the polluted air.\n\nJaffna topped the list as the most polluted city in the country, with an AQI of 142, significantly higher than Colombo. Puttalam followed with an AQI of 119, while Anuradhapura ranked third with a reading of 115. These AQI readings indicate a concerning deterioration in air quality across various regions of Sri Lanka.\n\nAccording to Sarath Premasiri, Chief Scientist at the Air Pollution Management Unit at the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), the deterioration of air quality has been observed in several parts of the country, including Jaffna, Mannar, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Chilaw, Kandy, and Kegalle. Premasiri attributed this worsening trend primarily to prevailing weather conditions and wind currents that are blowing in from southern India, contributing to the elevated levels of pollutants in the air.",
  "summary": "Colombo was yesterday ranked the fourth most polluted city in Sri Lanka, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 102, according to real-time data published by IQAir at 10.30 a.m. Jaffna recorded the highest pollution level in the country with an AQI of 142, followed by Puttalam at 119 and Anuradhapura at 115. The […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}