Himalaya - KAISER / CARO FOTOS / SIPA

During this coronavirus health crisis, 1.4 billion people are confined to their homes in India. Likewise, most factories across the country are shutdown in an attempt to contain the Covid-19 virus. And this situation has surprising consequences to say the least.

For the first time in thirty years, villagers in India woke up to this view of the Himalayan mountains.

They mountains are normally blocked by the pollution.

(📸 @jeetender) # COVID2019 #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/CqUUJJbJ0q

- Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) April 4, 2020

Air pollution has decreased significantly and the peaks of the Himalayas are now visible more than 200 kilometers away, in regions where people were no longer used to seeing these mountains, reports Le Parisien .

33% better air quality than normal

According to the results of studies relayed by the regional daily, air quality improved by 33% in India, on average, over the period from March 16 to 27. An unusual situation which allows the people of Punjab to admire and take a picture of the Himalayan mountain range, while they live 200 kilometers from these peaks.

"I never imagined this possible," said cricketer Harbhajan Singh, a resident of the village of Jalandhar. "This clearly shows the impact of pollution on our Mother Earth," he added. This situation had not been observed for thirty years. With air pollution only increasing, the inhabitants of this region had gotten used to not seeing the mountain peaks for a long time.

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