One of the loudest cities in the world creates so much noise pollution it has been described as “unfit for living”.

Mumbai is the biggest city in India and along with that comes high levels of noise, with it frequently exceeding safe levels. 

According to an article in the Mumbai Times, the Indian city of  Mumbai is “unfit for living, at least on the cacophony front”.

The city’s decibel levels touch 100 during peak hour traffic. Anything higher than 80dBHL is hazardous, says Sumaira Abdulali, a noise poultion activist.

The World Health Organisation suggests that healthy noise levels should not surpass 55 decibels during the day and 40 at night. Going beyond these threshold values can pose a serious health risk to those in the near vicinity of the noise.

When it comes to Mumbai’s high levels of noise pollution the main offenders are construction, fireworks, honking from traffic and loudspeakers.

However the Mumbai Government is now attempting to bring in regulation on loudspeakers, according to One India.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Commissioner of Police to take prompt action on complaints regarding noise pollution caused by religious structures, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) report.

It ruled that no religion has loudspeakers as an essential aspect of religion and therefore police must take steps to keep the noise down. 

Another incredibly noisy city is Cairo in Eqypt. Noise pollution has reached alarming levels in this 24-hour metropolis and has led to hearing problems, irritability, and even death.

According to a study by the Egyptian National Research Centre, average noise levels are at 90dB and never drop below 70dB.

This can be compared to spending all day inside a factory. As well as noise pollution, Cairo has some of the highest air pollution in the world. Cairo’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stands ar at 160, reflecting unhealthy air conditions. For comparison, an AQI that’s considered normal and healthy is around 36. 

Cairo’s PM2.5 concentrations reached 68.4 µg/m³—well above the WHO’s recommended safe limit of 5 µg/m³.