Air quality alert sounded in Brazilian capital

BRASILIA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) — Brasilia’s environment institute, which monitors air quality in the Brazilian capital, issued an alert on Monday, warning of a “delicate situation.”
For the second day in a row, Brasilia was affected by heavy smoke from wildfires in the states of Sao Paulo and Goias, as it grapples with seasonal drought in the central-west Cerrado region.
Data collected on Sunday indicated a “poor” air quality index for particulate matter, including dust, smoke and soot. Overnight, the index worsened to “very bad” and continued until 3:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) on Monday, the agency said in a press release.
“The latest measurements from the station show there has been a slight improvement in the index, but the air quality is still very bad,” the press release said.
Residents in the capital may experience symptoms such as dry cough, fatigue, burning eyes, nose and throat, and difficulty breathing, according to the agency.
A record number of wildfires have broken out in Brazil this year in regions such as the Amazon, the Pantanal and the southeastern part of the country. ■