South Asian smog cloud so big it can be seen from space

The smog cloud over the snow-capped mountains near India and Pakistan can be seen from space, as this Nasa photo shows

The smog cloud affecting south Asia is now so big it can be seen from space.

Children in some areas of Pakistan are facing school, park and zoo closures, amongst other restrictions, as smog continues to affect the area.

Just over two weeks ago, Lahore - Pakistan's second-biggest city - became the world's most polluted city, when the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit hazardous levels.

Today, the 14 million people living there continue to suffer as smog levels hit new record levels.

According to the International Air Quality Index Scale, an index value of 300 or higher is "hazardous" to health, and Pakistan has regularly tipped over 1,000 on the scale over the past months.

Children are affected by smog outdoors

With the smog hitting crisis levels, officials have made some changes to the way people are living.

They have closed schools until at least 17 November, workers have been told to stay home and people are being urged to stay indoors.

"You can't even open your doors and windows, because then the smog comes in and it's terrible," said Rafia Iqbal, who is a primary school teacher.

Fires are a big cause of the smog problem

The smog that has covered Lahore can even be seen from space.

Images from US space agency Nasa show a thick layer of smog as well as one of the major causes of the smog - fires.

The fires are from the burning of stubble after harvest by farmers in both Pakistan and neighbouring India as a quick way for farmers to clear their fields ready for the next crops.

As well as the fires, a lot of the air pollution in Lahore comes from its five million motorbikes and millions of other vehicles’ exhausts. Industries in the city’s outskirts - like the coal-fired brick kilns - also add pollution to the air.