Northern India's Worst Air Pollution... "Danger 11 Million Children"

Air quality in northern India, notorious for its worst air pollution, is deteriorating sharply as winter enters.

Indian authorities say air quality in the capital Delhi has deteriorated to "severe" levels as smog, which originated in Punjab province, which borders Pakistan, has spread across the north.

In particular, the concentration of ultrafine dust exceeded the World Health Organization's standard by 50 times.

Earlier, the United Nations Children's Fund called for urgent action, saying, "More than 11 million children under the age of 5 in Punjab are at risk from toxic air."

In Pakistan, 70,000 people have visited hospitals every day as air quality has deteriorated dramatically since the end of last month, the Associated Press reported.

Pakistani authorities ordered Punjab to close until the 17th, and temporarily closed parks and museums.

In northern India and eastern Pakistan, air quality is deteriorating every winter due to smoke and automobile fumes generated by burning crop waste.