Northern China still suffering under worst sandstorm in a decade, but cold and wet weather may bring relief
- Large areas were still being affected by dust and heavy winds that caused pollution levels to spike in major cities, including Beijing
- Air quality in many cities remained poor due to increased levels of hazardous particles in the atmosphere
Much of northern China remained blanketed under sand and dust on Wednesday although the worst sandstorm recorded in a decade was expected to gradually settle from Thursday as cold and wet weather fronts moved in.
Earlier this week the storm had caused pollution levels to spike in some of the country’s biggest cities, including Beijing, due to high levels of hazardous small particles in the air.
The National Meteorological Centre said a blue sandstorm alert – the lowest level of the four-tier warning system – remained in force on Wednesday across large areas of the country.
“Parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan and Hubei might see floating sand and dust on Wednesday, while sandstorms may occur in southern Xinjiang,” the centre said.
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Worst sandstorm in a decade hits Chinese capital, Beijing
It advised the public to take precautions against heavy winds and dust by closing windows and doors and wearing masks.