Strong winds blanket Beijing in yellow dust

Beijing - The sky over Beijing was yellow on Saturday morning, as a severe sandstorm covered the streets in a fine dust and reduced visibility.

The sandstorm swept in on strong winds overnight after hitting China's north-western region earlier in the week, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The Beijing Municipal Meteorological Observatory issued an alarm late Friday, warning residents to stay at home or wear masks and goggles if they had to go outside, the report said.

According to China's State Forestry Administration, more than 16 million people had so far been affected by the storm, which also damaged crops in the north-western Gansu and Ningxia regions, the China New Service reported.

The administration said the storm was caused by adverse weather conditions and a loss of moisture in the soil.

China's northern cities have traditionally suffered sandstorms in spring, however afforestation projects in the northwest had helped reduce their frequency in recent years.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314959,strong-winds-blanket-beijing-in-yellow-dust.html.