Air pollution reaches unhealthy levels in Padang and Surabaya

Air quality monitoring in Indonesia has revealed significant pollution levels in several regions. In West Sumatra, Padang recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 225, categorized as ‘very unhealthy,’ with PM2.5 concentrations reaching 149.5 µg/m³. Other areas in the province, including Dharmasraya, Bukittinggi, and Solok, also reported unhealthy air quality levels due to elevated PM2.5 concentrations.

In Surabaya, air quality monitoring at the Tandes station showed PM2.5 levels entering the ‘unhealthy’ category during the morning hours of October 15, 2026. Experts from the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) noted that while hot weather can influence pollutant dynamics, the pollution is driven by emissions from motor vehicles, industrial activities, open burning, and fugitive dust.