China: Beijing is engulfed by dangerous sandstorm for second time in two weeks

The capital of China, Beijing, woke up Sunday morning wrapped in thick dust carrying extremely high levels of dangerous particles, when a second sandstorm in two weeks hit the city due to winds from Mongolia and northwestern China hit by the drought.

Visibility in the city was reduced and the tops of some skyscrapers were obscured by the sandstorm, while pedestrians were forced to cover their eyes due to blasts of dust that swept the streets.

The official air quality index of Beijing It peaked at 500 on Sunday morning, with floating particles known as PM10 exceeding 2,000 micrograms per cubic meter in some districts.

The smallest PM2.5 particle readings were above 300 micrograms per cubic meter, much higher than China’s standard of 35 micrograms.

PM2.5 particles are especially harmful because they are so small and can enter the bloodstream, while PM10 is a larger particle that can enter the lungs.

A couple pose for a photo outside the headquarters of China Central Television (CCTV).

The Meteorological Administration of China issued a yellow alert on Friday, warning that a sandstorm was spreading from Mongolia into northern China’s provinces, including Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Liaoning and Hebei, which surrounds Beijing.

The meteorological office said recent sandstorms that hit Beijing They originated in Mongolia, where the relatively warmer temperature this spring and reduced rainfall resulted in larger areas of bare land, creating favorable conditions for sandstorms.

Beijing could face more sandstorms in April due to unfavorable weather this year, the meteorological bureau said.