MEXICO CITY — Mexico City authorities have lifted a smog alert one day after ozone levels rose above 150 percent of acceptable limits.
A statement from the metropolitan area’s environmental commission said favorable weather conditions Sunday morning and rains in the afternoon led to a reduction.
The alert had banned 20 percent of the area’s motor vehicles from driving Sunday as part of the ‘Hoy No Circula’ contingency program.
It was the fourth time this year that Mexico’s capital has expanded its restriction of the number of cars on the road because of air pollution. The initial alert in March was the first in more than a decade. At that point, the city lowered the level for declaring an alert from 200 percent of acceptable levels to 150 percent.
Se SUSPENDE la Fase I de Contingencia Ambiental Atmosférica por ozono en la Zona Metropolitana del Valle de México pic.twitter.com/WyX4WBS8W6
— CAMegalópolis (@CAMegalopolis) May 15, 2016
The ‘Hoy No Circula’ driving restriction program on Monday will include vehicles with yellow stickers and license plates ending in 5 and 6, as well as holograms 1, 2, 0 and double 00, which will have to suspend all circulation.
(Additional reporting by The News)
