India’s capital region, Delhi, has virtually come to a halt as air pollution levels reached a “severe plus” category, creating what officials have described as a public health emergency.

India's capital city of Delhi has virtually shut down as air pollution hit "severe plus" levels, according to Indian government officials in its pollution control authority.

Residents in India's northern states woke up to another day of poor air quality on Tuesday, as a layer of dense fog shrouded most of the region, and pollution in the capital Delhi remained severe.