Beijing suffers a second sandstorm
AdvertisementA second sandstorm has shrouded Beijing in a hazardous cloud of dust on Monday.
High winds off the Gobi desert whipped up sand and sent it not only towards Beijing, but also to Taiwan. Particles of the sand have made it to the United States of America.
The second sandstorm helped pile on the misery for residents of Beijing, stirring up dust which blew across the city on Saturday. The US embassy in China initially categorised the air quality as hazardous, later upgrading it to 'very unhealthy'.
Sandstorms are common in northern China, especially in the Spring. The Chinese meteorological service expects to see another six to nine sandstorms during April.
In sharp contrast to Beijing where the winds have brought the problems, it is the lack of them in Hong Kong which has allowed smog to form. It's being exacerbated by sand drifting south and falling from the upper atmosphere.
Meanwhile, areas of southwest China are gripped by the worst drought in decades. Eighty four counties in southwest China have not seen any rain in over 226 days, leading to a shortage of water for over fifty million people.
