Thousands told to lock windows NOW as hazardous particles fill the air

"Roughly 300,000 people in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota have been engulfed in a plume of hazardous and unhealthy air fueled by dust storms sweeping across the northern US. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the air over Watertown, South Dakota - home to nearly 24,000 people - to be 'hazardous' to human health Thursday afternoon. According to the World Air Quality Index project, a nonprofit providing real-time air pollution data for hundreds of countries, the air quality index (AQI) in Watertown reached 439 at 1pm ET."

"When outdoor air quality reaches the 300 to 500 hazardous zone, the EPA warns that everyone should avoid all physical activity outside. Meanwhile, another plume of 'unhealthy' air was detected over Fargo, North Dakota, a city of more than 130,000 people right on the border with Minnesota."

"The main pollutant in the dust storms has been PM10, a type of fine particulate matter made up of tiny solid particles or liquid droplets floating in the air that are less than 10 micrometers in diameter, thinner than a human hair. This form of air pollution is noticeably larger than PM2.5, which is typically composed of toxins or heavy metals produced by factories and car exhaust, but it can still damage the lungs, worsen respiratory issues such as asthma and contribute to heart attacks and strokes that cause premature death."

Hundreds of thousands of Americans in the Upper Midwest have been urged to stay indoors and shut windows as major air quality warnings are issued. Roughly 300,000 people across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota are affected by a hazardous plume driven by dust storms. The EPA declared the air over Watertown, South Dakota hazardous to human health, and the AQI in Watertown reached 439. When AQI is in the 300 to 500 hazardous range, the EPA warns everyone to avoid all physical activity outside. An additional plume of unhealthy air was detected over Fargo, North Dakota. The dust storms’ main pollutant is PM10, fine particulate matter under 10 micrometers, which can damage lungs, worsen asthma, and contribute to heart attacks and strokes.

Read at Mail Online