At a Glance

Residents in the Indian capital of New Delhi are choking in the worst smog seen in 17 years.The smog appears from space as a thick blanket across the northern portions of the country.

New Delhi received a dismal air quality rating this week that has put residents at extreme risk for a variety of respiratory illness.

According to Popular Science, showed hazardous smog levels that ranked as "unhealthy," "very unhealthy" and "hazardous" on the Air Quality Index.

Some areas of the city received staggering scores as high as 999 — and that's on a .

The smog that is smothering millions in the city is so thick, it can be easily seen from space on NASA Worldview satellite images, showing up as a tan-colored blanketcovering northern India.

The smog blanketing India as seen from space.

(NASA Worldview)

Local authorities were forced to this week because of the poor air quality, CNN reports.

The , including heart disease, cancerand respiratory illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Exacerbated by agricultural fires near the capital and smoke from fireworks set off during the Hindu celebration of Diwali in October, the smog has been made worse by stagnant weather patterns that have helped trap pollutants in the lower atmosphere, according to weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce.

Air pollution is a relative constant for New Delhi, especially during the winter months. Garbage fires, dung-powered cookstoves, diesel-powered vehicles and coal-fired power plants all contribute to the problem.

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A man rides a scooter on a road enveloped by smoke and smog, on the morning following Diwali festival in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 31, 2016.

(AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

To combat that latest surge in air pollution, the government ordered the temporary closure of a nearby coal-burning power plant and began dousing roads with water to settle thedust.It also banned diesel-powered electricity generators for 10 days, excluding hospitals and cellphone towers.

As previously reported by weather.com, — tiny particles that can clog the lungs and worsen heart ailments — soared to over 90 times the and 15 times the Indian government's norms.

The Associated Press notes that the New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment says government data indicates that the smog that has choked residents in the capital city for the last week is the worst in 17 years.

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