North Sumatra's Air Quality on Night of March 23 is the Worst in Indonesia

North Sumatra's air quality tonight is the worst in Indonesia. Based on the Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) page of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) on Monday (March 23, 2026) at 6:00 PM WIB, it was revealed that the air quality index in North Sumatra is 95.

According to the KLHK Air Pollution Control Directorate, ISPU is a unitless number used to describe ambient air quality conditions at a specific location and is based on impacts on human health, aesthetic value, and other living beings.

ISPU calculations are based on measurements of seven air pollutant parameters: PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, and HC. Pollutant parameter measurements are spread across 72 stations in various regions.

(Read: 10 Countries with the Most Earthquakes in 2023, Indonesia Ranks First)

Based on KLHK Regulation No. 14 of 2020 concerning the Air Pollution Standard Index, ISPU in the 0-50 range means good air quality, the 51-100 range means moderate air quality, and the 101-200 range means unhealthy air that is harmful to humans, animals, and plants.

Next, very unhealthy air quality in the 201-300 range can increase health risks for sensitive groups. Meanwhile, hazardous air quality in the range above 300 can seriously harm health and requires immediate handling.

Below North Sumatra, South Kalimantan ranks second worst in Indonesia with an air quality index of 94. Then, West Java ranks third with an air quality index of 87.

This means that no region has hazardous air quality.

Below is the list of 10 provinces with the worst air quality index in Indonesia on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 6:00 PM WIB.

1. North Sumatra: 95

2. South Kalimantan: 94

3. West Java: 87

4. West Kalimantan: 83

5. Banten: 71

6. Central Java: 68

7. Riau: 65

8. DKI Jakarta: 61

9. Lampung: 55

10. South Sumatra: 49

(Read: 10 Countries with the Most Earthquakes in 2023, Indonesia Ranks First)