“Sandstorm” warning in China

In the statement issued by the China National Meteorological Center, it was reported that a “blue alert” was issued for the northern and eastern regions of the country due to sandstorms.

In the statement; It was stated that the provinces of Xinjiang Uyghur, Inner Mongolia and the autonomous regions of Ningxia Hui, Gansu, Shaanshi, Shanxi, Hibey, Shandong, Liaoning, Cilin, Heylonciang, Hubey, Hnan, Anhui, Ciangsu and the capital Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin cities will be affected by sandstorms. This is the fourth sandstorm warning for north and northeast China this year.

In China’s four-stage weather alert system, the yellow, orange and red alert levels come after blue, respectively.

Meteorologists noted that due to insufficient rainfall in the northern deserts and steppes during the winter months, sand and dust accumulated on the ground surface were blown away by winds blowing from north to south, causing sandstorms.

TOXIC LEVEL

In the capital Beijing, air pollution rose to critical levels due to the sandstorm. According to data from the measuring station of the US Embassy in Beijing, the density of “PM2.5”, which indicates the number of particles smaller than 2.5 microns that cause air pollution, has increased to 418 as of this morning, and the density of “PM10,” which indicates the number of particles smaller than 10 microns, is 999. It was a.

According to the International Air Quality Index, these levels indicate air pollution in the category of toxic to human health.

While the World Health Organization considers PM2.5 concentrations above 5 micrograms and PM10 concentrations above 45 micrograms to be harmful to human health, it cautions that exposure to air pollution from above these values ​​can cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. (AA)