Indonesia's Major Cities Record Unhealthy Air Quality on July 13

Air quality monitoring on Monday, 13 July, showed that several Indonesian cities entered the "unhealthy" AQI category. Jakarta recorded an AQI of 177, driven by PM2.5 concentrations of about 92 µg/m³—roughly 18 times the WHO annual guideline. Surabaya posted the highest reading at 194, followed by Tangerang Selatan (183), Tangerang (171) and Bandung (170). The same monitoring platform, IQAir, listed Pontianak and Jambi as the cleanest Indonesian locations that morning.

Health agencies warned that the elevated pollution levels pose heightened risks to sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. Both IQAir and Indonesia's meteorological agency BMKG advised residents to limit outdoor activities, use masks, keep windows closed, and consider indoor air purifiers. The spikes are attributed to vehicle emissions, industrial activity, open‑burning, and weather patterns that trap pollutants near the surface. The situation reflects an ongoing challenge for Jakarta‑Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) and other urban areas to curb emissions and improve public‑health safeguards.