Beijing Skies Turn Apocalyptic As ‘Worst Sandstorm In A Decade’ Hits China Capital
The skies in Beijing, the capital of China, suddenly turned apocalyptic on March 15 due to what is considered as the worst sandstorm in the said place for over ten years.
The popular news website Al Jazeera shared the announcement of the China Meteorological Administration regarding the phenomenon. It said that a yellow alert was raised since the storm had spread into the provinces that surround Beijing.
Residents of the said city had been advised to wear masks, goggles, and hairnets to protect themselves from the sand. They were also told to close their doors and windows.
Moreover, it was revealed that all schools were ordered by the government to postpone outside sports activities. More or less 400 flights had also been canceled due to the sandstorm.
As announced by China's Global Times media, there were at least 12 provinces that were affected by the storm. Reuters was also able to gather thoughts of some residents after being hit by the said phenomenon.
"It looks like the end of the world. In this kind of weather, I really, really don't want to be outside," a resident of Beijing quipped.
Meanwhile, BBC News reported that the sandstorm sent the pollution in Beijing to its maximum level. The city's official air quality index on Monday reached 500. It was also detected that there were 8,100 micrograms per cubic meter of floating particles called PM10. Such figures are way higher than the recommended level 50 by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The unfortunate incident also brought nearly 300 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 into the air. These small particles can infiltrate the lungs and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease.
Beijing is often hit by sandstorms during March and April. Such an incident is reportedly the result of deforestation in the northern part of China.
