NASA show how much pollution has dropped in China's quarantined cities

If you have been following the coronavirus (COVID-19), you would probably know that China's government issued out quarantine to minimalize the spread.

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Residents in the affected area were ordered to stay inside, businesses were shut down, and basically, everything was put on hold until the virus was under control. Throughout this quarantine time, NASA's Earth Observatory mapped out the pollution levels of the area and compared them to the same time last year. The results are astounding, as we can see a dramatic decrease in air pollution all over the quarantined area.

The maps are over the Wuhan region, and show pollution levels from January 1st to February 25th, 2019. Those pollution levels are compared to January 1st to February 25th, 2020, and as you can see, the differences are extreme. According to NASA air quality researcher Fei Liu, "This is the first time I have seen such a dramatic drop-off over such a wide area for a specific event."

If you take a look at January 1st to February 9th, 2019, you can see there is a small drop in air pollution between these dates. This is from the Lunar New Year celebrations and is normal for this area as it happens every year. Comparing 2019 to the 2020 data of the same dates tells a different story, as there is barely any air pollution at all, showcasing just how much the quarantine has impacted the area.

Last updated: Jun 16, 2020 at 04:29 pm CDT