For the fourth time in a month, Beijing and the northeastern regions of China have been enveloped in a severe sandstorm, compelling residents to take refuge indoors to shield themselves from the dense air pollution.
Recent images depict the Chinese capital shrouded in an orange haze that persisted into Tuesday, though there are signs of slight improvement in the conditions.
As the sandstorm persisted, Beijing authorities issued precautionary advisories urging children and the elderly to remain indoors, while healthy adults were encouraged to limit outdoor activities. Residents were also reminded to keep their windows shut and to wear masks and face shields for added protection.
According to the Beijing Municipal Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, the air quality index spiked to “severely polluted” levels on Monday, underscoring the severity of the situation.
The sandstorm’s impact on air quality has raised concerns about the health and well-being of the local population, highlighting the need for precautionary measures to mitigate the effects of the sandstorm on public health.
The concentration of PM10 particles, which are pollution particles with a diameter of less than 10 micrometers, soared to alarming levels during the sandstorm.
According to the Beijing Municipal Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, at 9 p.m. on Monday, PM10 concentrations exceeded 1,321 micrograms per cubic meter, which is nearly 30 times higher than the daily average guideline of 45 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
These high levels of PM10 particles pose significant health risks, as they can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and lungs. Inhalation of these fine particles can result in respiratory problems and other health issues, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
The severe breach of the PM10 guideline underscores the severity of the air pollution caused by the sandstorm, necessitating urgent measures to safeguard public health.
In addition to PM10 particles, there are even smaller particles known as PM2.5, which can penetrate deeper into the lungs and potentially enter the bloodstream, posing further health risks. The Air Quality Index, which monitors real-time air quality in major cities globally, has recorded “hazardous” levels of PM2.5 in Beijing for a significant portion of the past 48 hours.
Beijing is no stranger to sandstorms during the spring season, exacerbated by increasing industrial activity and rapid deforestation in northern China. The combination of sandstorms and pollution from human activities has led to a worsening smog situation in the region, posing serious concerns for public health and well-being.
Urgent efforts are needed to address the root causes of air pollution, including reducing industrial emissions and implementing effective measures to mitigate the impact of sandstorms on air quality in Beijing and surrounding areas.
China has been grappling with a series of sandstorms this year, with the latest event being the fourth since March 10 and the eighth since the beginning of the year, as reported by state media. The severity of these sandstorms is evident from the recorded levels of PM10 particles.
The most severe sandstorm recorded this year in Beijing occurred on March 22, when PM10 particle concentrations spiked to a staggering 1,667 micrograms per cubic meter, as reported by the Beijing Municipal Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center.
Such high levels of PM10 particles pose significant health risks and underscore the urgent need for effective measures to address the issue of air pollution in China, including tackling the root causes such as industrial emissions, deforestation, and other human activities that contribute to sandstorms and poor air quality.
According to China’s Central Meteorological Observatory, the recent sandstorm had a far-reaching impact, extending from Shanghai in the south to as far north as Heilongjiang, which is the northernmost province of the country. The affected areas covered a significant distance, encompassing regions in both the southern and northern parts of China.
The sandstorm that swept across China also affected numerous other areas, including Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Shanxi, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei, as reported by the national observatory. The widespread impact of the sandstorm is evident from the extensive list of regions that were affected, spanning across multiple provinces in China.
This underscores the need for concerted efforts to address the issue of air pollution and sandstorms, not only in specific regions but also on a national level to safeguard public health and well-being.
China’s National and Grassland Administration revealed that the sand and dust responsible for the recent sandstorm originated from the southern part of Mongolia and the western part of Inner Mongolia. These particles were carried southeastward by air currents, resulting in the present storm that affected various regions in China.
On social media platform Weibo, which is China’s heavily censored equivalent of Twitter, one user complained about the pungent smell associated with the sandstorm, describing it as “very earthy.”
Another user likened the sandstorm to the futuristic scenes from the sci-fi film “Blade Runner” and advised others to take precautions and “wear protection” when venturing outdoors. Such observations from the public highlight the significant impact of the sandstorm on daily life and the need for measures to mitigate its effects on health and well-being.