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Flights grounded as toxic smog blankets European capital

It is currently ranked as the third most-polluted city in the world

Rich Booth
Additional reporting by AP
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:28 GMT
General view of Sarajevo and TV Tower as a dense layer of fog and smog blankets Sarajevo, Bosnia
General view of Sarajevo and TV Tower as a dense layer of fog and smog blankets Sarajevo, Bosnia (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

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Flights have been grounded in Bosnia‘s capital of Sarajevo as toxic air engulfed the city.

The public were told to stay indoors as a thick blanket of smog Thursday engulfed as residents tried to cope with toxic air.

Sarajevo and other major cities in the Balkans are traditionally very polluted during winter months as countries there rely on coal and wood for heating.

Experts have warned of effects on people’s health because bad air is linked to various diseases and premature deaths.

The Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, which assesses air quality in real time, put Sarajevo’s air quality index, or AQI, at a “very unhealthy” 225, ranking the city as the third most-polluted in the world.

“This is horrible, we are chocking, particularly people with heart conditions,” said pensioner Hajra Subasic. “I can barely breathe, you see how hard it is for me to speak.”

A woman wears a face mask shrouded by pollution haze as smog covers Sarajevo, Bosnia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024
A woman wears a face mask shrouded by pollution haze as smog covers Sarajevo, Bosnia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, Sarajevo is particularly prone to air pollution. Bad urban planning and proliferation of tall buildings have made the problem worse in recent years.

“Nobody is doing anything,” fumed Subasic. “I can't believe this is happening in Bosnia's capital and they (authorities) can't fix it.”

Balkan states generally have poor record in environment protection despite promises to improve the situation as they seek to move closer to European Union membership.

Balkan rivers are often clogged with garbage and recycling is almost non-existent.

Avaz Twist Tower building, 172 meters high, peaks through a dense layer of fog and smog in Sarajevo
Avaz Twist Tower building, 172 meters high, peaks through a dense layer of fog and smog in Sarajevo (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The air in neighboring Serbia's capital Belgrade also was deemed “unhealthy” on Thursday with the air quality index put at 170.

In Sarajevo, planes were grounded during the morning hours because of the fog and drivers were warned to take additional care because of low visibility. Many people could be seen wearing face masks for at least some protection.

A woman wears a face mask shrouded by pollution haze as smog covers Sarajevo
A woman wears a face mask shrouded by pollution haze as smog covers Sarajevo (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A Sarajevo resident, who gave only her first name as Nada, said she tries to evade pollution by going to the mountains around the city where the air is clean and from where Sarajevo can be seen covered in a cloud of fog below.

“I accumulate some strength there but I have no idea how long it will last,” she said. “It's even worse in our flats because of the heating and dry air and because we can't open our windows.”

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