Pour la deuxième fois en moins d’un mois, la Guadeloupe a été placée mercredi par l’organisme de la surveillance de sa qualité de l’air Gwad’air en alerte rouge pour dépassement des seuils de concentration en particulates fines PM10, a annoncé the Prefecture.
The forecasts for Wednesday and Thursday are to “exceed the alert threshold of 80 micrograms per cubic meter in 24 hours” in terms of pollution by fine PM10 particles, Gwad’air said in a statement, recalling that after “several consecutive days of exceeding the regulatory thresholds (…) the alert procedure was activated.”
Sand from the Sahara and the Sahel
This pollution is due to the “passage of air masses loaded with desert dust over our territory,” the prefecture stated.
Guadeloupe is periodically affected by pollution caused by sand fog, dust from the Sahara and the Sahel, transported to high altitudes by the trade winds towards the Antilles and causing thick fogs that make the air unbreathable.
During their visit, many people feel itchy eyes or dry throat, or even have difficulty breathing, leading to numerous health recommendations, especially for vulnerable people, such as small children, the elderly or pregnant women.
A study published in 2019 showed a link between pregnant women’s exposure to fine particles and the risk of preterm birth in the Antilles.
The phenomenon, which occurs throughout the year, intensifies from April to October in the region. In cyclonic periods it is a factor of disorganization of possible storms and cyclones.
Source: BFM TV
