A heavy fog that has blanketed Shanghai since late Monday has
forced the cancellation of flights, highway closures and the
suspension of ferry services.
Shanghai Central Meteorological Station issued the first fog
warning at 9:46 p.m. Monday and upgraded it to a color-coded "red"
warning, the highest level at 1:41 a.m. Tuesday.
The fog reduced visibility in the city's Pudong and Hongqiao
airports to 100 meters and 900 meters respectively. At Pudong, the
worst hit area, more than 100 domestic and international flights
were delayed and a few had been canceled since Monday night.
China Civil Aviation Administration's regulations stipulated
that an airport's standard visibility for plane's taking off and
landing was 550 meters and 800 meters respectively.
It was not immediately known how many passengers were stranded
at the Pudong International Airport last night. The latest
information said the flights at the airport were starting to take
off as the fog dispersed.
The city also suspended ferry service. In addition, expressways
linking with neighboring cities of Hangzhou and Nanjing, which were
temporarily closed, were now open but a speed limit on vehicles was
imposed.
The heavy fog appeared after a warm air mass from the sea
encountered cold air in Shanghai. The fog was expected to dissipate
in the afternoon, according to the meteorological station.
(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2008)