Chile shut down at least 900 industries and ordered some 1.7 million cars off the roads in Santiago on Monday following the emergence of an overwhelming amount of smog in the metropolis, Reuters reported.
Authorities said that the city's air pollution levels have reached a critical point, which is partly brought on by the dry atmosphere. The capital is experiencing one of its driest months since 1968 and at least six million residents are affected, according to BBC. The forecast for rain in the next few weeks is still slim.
The shutdown is expected to last 24 hours, but officials may decide to extend this depending on the air's condition. Residents have been asked to limit their activities outdoors, even as Santiago is hosting the Copa America football tournament. There is a game scheduled on Wednesday. Games, however, aren't usually cancelled due to poor air quality, according to Phys.org.
"The Copa America respects the international commitments of Chile so it will not be suspended but we hope that for Wednesday the levels will go down," said Claudio Orrego, the mayor of Santiago, via Goal. "What is at stake here is the health of the people. We have really bad conditions in regard to the environmental and atmospheric conditions," Orrego further stated.
In 2014, Santiago was regarded as "one of the cities with the most serious air pollution problems in the world," according to a study via Environmental Pollution. Aside from the lack of rain, emissions from vehicles, manufacturing industries and wood-burning heaters, which locals commonly use in their homes, contribute to the city's air pollution.
