New York is still such a noisy city that its inhabitants could suffer from significant hearing loss in coming years, a study has found.
Presented at a conference of the New York Academy of Medicine, the study found that 98 percent of noise measurements taken were at levels harmful to human health.
"Ninety-eight percent of the noise levels of public spaces in NYC exceeded recommended community noise levels. Even oases of quiet had high noise levels," the study said.
In 60 sites in Manhattan known for high noise levels (above 70 decibels), experts sampled noise levels every 10 minutes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Using the measurements, they made a sound map of Manhattan that pinpoints the city's noisiest locations, including Times Square, Broadway, and some areas of the Upper East Side.
Copyright AFP
