Beijing had its worst dusty air of the year on Thursday, as the
air quality index reached level five, the worst rating on a
five-point scale.
A sandstorm swept in from northwest China to the capital at
about 4:00 AM., entering the city's urban districts one hour later
and reaching its peak at 6:00 AM.
According to air monitoring centers in Beijing early on
Thursday, suspended particles exceeded 1,500 micrograms per cubic
meter of air.
"I saw cars blanketed with a thick layer of dust when I went
outdoors at 6:30 AM. The air was so filthy that I could hardly
breathe," said a female resident named Zhao in Chaoyang District,
east central Beijing.
The local weather department predicted the dusty weather will
linger for another day, but a possible shower on Saturday should
improve air quality.
Though the dusty air has lowered visibility, it didn't affect
traffic on highways and expressways. The environmental department
advised people to stay indoors or try to reduce the time spent
outdoors for the sake of their health.
(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2005)
