Air pollution hits ‘severe’ level in New Delhi after festival celebrations

People walk in the morning near the India Gate monument (Manish Swarup/AP)

Thick smog blanketed India’s capital on Tuesday, a day after millions celebrated the Hindu festival of Diwali with fireworks that sent air pollution levels soaring to hazardous levels.

Revellers in New Delhi burst firecrackers late into Monday night, filling the air with smoke and fine particles that mixed with seasonal pollution and stagnant weather conditions.