‘Very high’ Hong Kong air pollution levels set to continue until the weekend

Poor air quality in Hong Kong is likely to persist until the weekend as low winds fail to disperse pollutants.

"Very high" concentrations of air pollution engulfed Causeway Bay, Central and Mong Kok yesterday morning.

A dry continental airstream affecting the south China coast was to blame for the deterioration in air quality as low winds made pollution harder to disperse, leading to poor air quality in dense urban areas, according to the Environmental Protection Department.

The high pollution is likely to persist until the weekend when winds switch from moderate northeasterly to easterly, the department said, citing Hong Kong Observatory forecasts.

"Higher than normal levels of particulates and nitrogen dioxide have been recorded in the territory since Tuesday night," the department said in a statement yesterday. "It is expected that a higher than normal level of pollution will linger until dispersion improves."