Sandstorms cast a widespread net
By Anita Chang |
March 23, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SANDSTORMS whipping across China shrouded cities in an unhealthy cloud of sand and grit yesterday, with wind carrying the pollution outside the mainland as far as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
It was the latest sign of the effects of desertification: Overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl and drought have expanded deserts in the country's north and west.
The shifting sands have gradually encroached onto populated areas and worsened sandstorms that strike cities, particularly in the spring.
Winds blowing from the northwest have been sweeping sand across the country since Saturday, affecting Xinjiang in the far west all the way to Beijing in the country's north. The sand and dust were carried to parts of southern China and even to cities in Taiwan, 2,600 kilometers away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated.
The sandstorm in Taiwan forced people to cover their faces to avoid breathing in grit that can cause respiratory problems even in healthy people. Drivers complained their cars were covered in a layer of black soot in just 10 minutes.
The airport on the isle of Matsu, just off the mainland coast, suspended services on Sunday due to poor visibility caused by sandstorms.
The latest sandstorm was expected to hit South Korea today, said Kim Seung-bum of the Korea Meteorological Administration.
The sandstorm that raked across China caused the worst "yellow dust" haze in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a rare nationwide dust advisory.
Grit from Chinese sandstorms has been found to travel as far as the west coast of the United States.
China's Central Meteorological Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside.
Sensitive electronic and mechanical equipment should be sealed off, the station said in a warning posted yesterday on its Website.
China Central Television told viewers to clean out their noses with salt water and remove grit from ears with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol.
State television's noon newscast showed the tourist city of Hangzhou, where bridges and waterside pagodas were hidden in a mix of sand and other pollution.
Fujian Province was shrouded in haze. Visibility in many cities in the province was poor, Xinhua news agency reported. Liu Aiming, deputy director of the Fujian Meteorological Station, attributed the haze to the sandstorms from the north.
"The winds have blown a large amount of particulate matter and fine dust to the coastal region since the weekend," he said.
Tu Jingfang, a pediatrician with the Jiangsu Hospital of Chinese and Western Medicine in Jiangsu Province, said there had been a sharp increase in the number of asthma patients since the weekend, caused by the dusty weather.
It was the latest sign of the effects of desertification: Overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl and drought have expanded deserts in the country's north and west.
The shifting sands have gradually encroached onto populated areas and worsened sandstorms that strike cities, particularly in the spring.
Winds blowing from the northwest have been sweeping sand across the country since Saturday, affecting Xinjiang in the far west all the way to Beijing in the country's north. The sand and dust were carried to parts of southern China and even to cities in Taiwan, 2,600 kilometers away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated.
The sandstorm in Taiwan forced people to cover their faces to avoid breathing in grit that can cause respiratory problems even in healthy people. Drivers complained their cars were covered in a layer of black soot in just 10 minutes.
The airport on the isle of Matsu, just off the mainland coast, suspended services on Sunday due to poor visibility caused by sandstorms.
The latest sandstorm was expected to hit South Korea today, said Kim Seung-bum of the Korea Meteorological Administration.
The sandstorm that raked across China caused the worst "yellow dust" haze in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a rare nationwide dust advisory.
Grit from Chinese sandstorms has been found to travel as far as the west coast of the United States.
China's Central Meteorological Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside.
Sensitive electronic and mechanical equipment should be sealed off, the station said in a warning posted yesterday on its Website.
China Central Television told viewers to clean out their noses with salt water and remove grit from ears with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol.
State television's noon newscast showed the tourist city of Hangzhou, where bridges and waterside pagodas were hidden in a mix of sand and other pollution.
Fujian Province was shrouded in haze. Visibility in many cities in the province was poor, Xinhua news agency reported. Liu Aiming, deputy director of the Fujian Meteorological Station, attributed the haze to the sandstorms from the north.
"The winds have blown a large amount of particulate matter and fine dust to the coastal region since the weekend," he said.
Tu Jingfang, a pediatrician with the Jiangsu Hospital of Chinese and Western Medicine in Jiangsu Province, said there had been a sharp increase in the number of asthma patients since the weekend, caused by the dusty weather.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
