Deadly smog returns to Delhi after Diwali

Air pollution in the Indian capital has risen to dangerous levels after being caught off guard. Diwali despite a short ban.

Residents awoke on Thursday to find the city blanketed in a toxic fog.

The Supreme Court had the timeframe for setting off, but the order was openly flouted.

Diwali, the most important Hindu festival in north India, celebrates the victory of good over evil.

The levels of tiny particulate matter (known as PM 2.5), which is as high as 999 micrograms per cubic meter in some areas of the capital on Thursday morning, according to reports.

• Delhi smog: Foul air cam from India's farming revolution

The US embassy said that it had soared to 526, putting the pollution in the "severe" category and posing a serious health risk to residents.

Last month, the supreme court said it would be a test if banning fireworks would make a difference to Delhi's air quality, ranked among the worst in the world.

But despite the restrictions and the two-hour deadline on the night of the festival, residents of Delhi continued to burn firecrackers until late.

People took to social media to express their frustration over residents flouting short orders with impunity.

Others said blaming the fireworks for the spike in pollution was unfair, as low wind speeds, dust from construction sites, rubbish burning and diesel vehicles also contributing to increasing pollution levels.

Also, every year in the city of Punjab and Haryana, they burn their crop stubble to clear their fields.

The Indian capital is the sixth worst place in the world for pollution, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data.

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), an emergency government initiative to try and improve conditions, has also launched around Delhi. It bans activities like rubbish burning to try and improve air quality.