Haze surrounds Chinese cities

Road traffic was interrupted and many flights were canceled after the toxic haze covered the capital of Beijing and many cities in China on February 17.

Concentrations of dust particles of less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) in some areas in Beijing City exceeded 200 micrograms per cubic meter at 9 am on February 17, Xinhua quoted. Beijing Center for Environmental Monitoring and Protection announces.

Haze reduces visibility in Tangshan City,
Hebei province, China on February 17.(Photo: China Daily)

Air pollution in many areas of the Beijing capital is moderate or severe. Vision in Beijing reaches below 500m in the early morning. At Beijing International Airport, visibility is sometimes reduced to 5 to 10m, causing some flights to be delayed.

Officials of the transport sector temporarily block highways connecting Beijing with the cities of Kaifeng, Harbin, Shanghai and Tianjin. Heavy fog also covers the provinces of Hebei, Henan. The air quality index at five locations in Shijiazhuang City - the administrative center of Hebei Province - shot up to 500, meaning serious pollution.

The presence of haze negatively affects the plan to return to the city of millions of migrant workers from the countryside after Tet. Many people had to leave their hometown later than expected because the highway was blocked or their flight was postponed.

Blind smoke began to cover many cities in China since January. Experts say motor vehicle smoke and coal dust account for the largest proportion in smoke. During the traditional Tet holiday, the Beijing city government banned the fireworks for a number of days to reduce air pollution levels.