The strongest sandstorm in ten years has swept across northern China. The authorities in Beijing today issued a “yellow alert” and warned of severely restricted visibility. The air values in the capital reached „dangerous“ values. According to Chinese media, Beijing airports had to cancel more than 400 flights.
The Chinese meteorological office assumed that twelve provinces will be affected by the storm or have already been hit. It is both the strongest sandstorm in ten years and the one with the largest extent.
Spring is sandstorm season in northern China. Strong winds carry sand and fine dust from the Gobi desert and Mongolia into the often heavily smoggy and densely populated industrial regions.
