Beijing hit by Sandstorm with limited visibility

A massive sandstorm coupled with high air pollution swept across Beijing on Monday morning, turning the sky yellow and brown, limiting visibility to less than 1,000 meters. Pushing the air quality levels in the capital to the worst since 2017, AQI recorded a ‘hazardous’ 999 rating on Monday. Beijing Meteorological Service issued a yellow alert for a sandstorm at 7:25 morning, saying that Beijing is seeing dust and visibility is expected to be less than 1,000 meters in most areas in Beijing until noon, Reuters reported. Neighbouring Mongolia was also hit by heavy sandstorms, with at least 341 people reported missing, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.
The National Meteorological Center forecasted the sand and dust would affect 12 provinces and regions from Xinjiang in the far northwest to Heilongjiang in the northeast and the eastern coastal port city of Tianjin. “This is the most intense sandstorm weather our country has seen in 10 years, as well as it covering the broadest area,” the center said on its website.
As a result, the government has ordered all schools to cancel outside sport and events and advised those with respiratory diseases to stay inside.Meanwhile, residents have shared scary and apocalyptic like visuals of the sandstorm, which are going viral on social media.

Report by Chetali S M
Reported on – 15/03/2021