India’s climate challenges are piling up as the Brahmapuram landfill in Kerala state is the latest to catch fire. The “trash mountain” in Kerala state is choking nearby residents with methane emissions.
Local schools were closed earlier this week as residents were advised to stay indoors and anyone who went outside should wear an N95 mask.
Kerala’s fire department is reporting that the fire started last week but no cause has been determined. For the most part, the fire has been put out, however, thick smoke and methane gas continue to banket the area, hurting the city’s air quality.
Landfill sites in India create more methane than any other country. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that part of his “Clean India” initiative is to remove these trash mountains and convert them into green zones.