Jakarta's Air Quality Hits Very Unhealthy Level, Residents Urged to Wear Masks

On the morning of 12 June, Jakarta recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 216‑218, placing the city in the "Very Unhealthy" category. The high levels of particulate matter and other pollutants pose serious health risks, especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

Authorities and air‑monitoring services urged residents to wear protective masks such as N95 or KN95, limit strenuous outdoor activities, and stay indoors where possible. Advice also included closing windows, using air‑purifiers, and monitoring real‑time AQI updates via official platforms.

Jakarta topped Indonesia’s list of worst‑polluted cities, ahead of Tangerang Selatan (AQI 199), Tangerang (AQI 178), Bandung (AQI 169) and Surabaya (AQI 161). Internationally, the city ranked among the most polluted major cities, trailing only Kinshasa, Kampala, Dhaka and Hanoi in the very‑unhealthy range.