beijing lifts smog red alert
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

As blue skies return

Beijing lifts smog red alert

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Beijing lifts smog red alert

A view over Beijing from Jingshan park
Beijing - Arab Today

Beijing's first ever red alert for smog was lifted Thursday, as blue skies and sunshine replaced the thick haze that covered the city for days.

The Chinese capital put its air pollution emergency plan into action earlier this week, pulling half of all private vehicles off the streets from Tuesday, ordering many factories to close and recommending that some schools allow students to remain home.

The measures were being lifted from midday Thursday, according to a social media post by Beijing's environmental protection bureau.

The red alert, the highest tier of a four-colour warning system, came as heavy smog flooded the city for the second time in as many weeks.

The unprecedented move followed scathing public criticism aimed at the city's weak response to last week's thick haze, which saw pollution skyrocket to levels not seen in years.
Counts of PM2.5 -- harmful microscopic particles that penetrate deep into the lungs -- reached well over 600 micrograms per cubic metre last week, according to the US embassy, which issues independent readings, and were regularly above 300 in recent days.

By Thursday afternoon they were down to as low as 15 at times as moderate winds blew from the north, below even the World Health Organization's recommended maximum exposure of 25.

In a note posted online, the city wrote that the emergency measures had "been effective in slowing down the process of smog accumulation", and expressed its "heartfelt thanks" and "sincere tribute" for residents' contributions to the effort.

The city will "fight well a hard battle to prevent and contain air pollution", it said.

But the struggle is largely out of municipal officials' hands since much of its air pollution comes from neighbouring areas, where pollution levels remained hazardous Thursday, particularly to the south in Hebei province.
One traveller on a high-speed train from the capital to the central province of Hubei posted on social media: "Every city in north China that I passed was covered by smog and looked like a dead town.

"Handan was particularly grave. Smog is absolutely not a problem only for Beijing but has truly extended into the land in north and central China. I really feel pained by that."

- Hospital visits -

The recurrent bad air has driven Beijing residents to hospitals in growing numbers, according to a report on Internet giant Tencent's news portal.
During the last month's periods of severe pollution, it said, trips to medical facilities using hailing app Didi Kuaidi -- backed by Tencent -- went from 3.4 percent of all journeys to 4.1 percent, an increase of more than a fifth.

The report also cited online retailer JD.com as saying pollution mask sales soared by as much as 400 percent in response to the bad air.

Data from Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba showed searches for air purifiers and masks being made more frequently in several areas hit by heavy pollution this month than elsewhere. Higher condom search frequencies overlapped in places, possibly as residents stayed indoors.

The miasma came as President Xi Jinping attended a critical meeting on climate change in Paris, a potentially embarrassing coincidence that underscored China's struggle to control the pollution that contributes to both its chronic smog and global warming.
Most of the country's greenhouse gas emissions come from the burning of coal for electricity and heating, particularly when demand peaks in winter, which is also the key cause of smog.

The chronic haze blanketing northeastern China earlier this month was so thick that, unlike the Great Wall, it could be seen from outer space, according to satellite photographs from NASA.

China's meteorological bureau has said it expects at least one and possibly two more bouts of heavy pollution in December, with the first expected as soon as Saturday.

It remains unclear how Beijing will respond to future airborne smog peaks, but other cities in the region followed its lead this week by issuing their own red alerts as pollution levels climbed even higher than those seen in the capital.
Source: AFP

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

GMT 14:04 2018 Sunday ,14 January

Fossil fuels blown away by wind

GMT 18:15 2018 Saturday ,13 January

1.5 C climate goal 'very unlikely' but doable

GMT 12:37 2018 Friday ,12 January

Race to save Indonesian croc stricken

GMT 15:08 2018 Thursday ,11 January

California mudslides death toll reaches 15

GMT 14:06 2018 Wednesday ,10 January

Philippines to protest over China activity

GMT 14:33 2018 Tuesday ,09 January

Poisonous and running out

GMT 16:42 2018 Saturday ,06 January

'World's ugliest pig' spotted

GMT 12:01 2018 Wednesday ,03 January

Hong Kong's mountain warriors
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

beijing lifts smog red alert beijing lifts smog red alert

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

beijing lifts smog red alert beijing lifts smog red alert

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 08:28 2012 Monday ,12 November

IBQ revamps private bank business to maintain edge

GMT 22:13 2012 Tuesday ,10 April

IBQ chief: Too many banks in Qatar

GMT 23:14 2012 Thursday ,05 April

UN rights chief calls for Trayvon Martin probe

GMT 13:07 2011 Saturday ,17 December

Chelsea target Ross Barkley

GMT 03:27 2014 Tuesday ,22 April

China stocks open mixed Tuesday

GMT 22:15 2017 Tuesday ,08 August

Saving lives gets tougher for Med's charity boats

GMT 12:02 2013 Monday ,25 February

Lebanon’s al-Rahi urges politicians to resign

GMT 16:25 2013 Tuesday ,27 August

Britain not seeking to topple Assad: Deputy PM

GMT 18:41 2011 Friday ,19 August

French winger Huget handed 3-month doping ban

GMT 12:49 2013 Wednesday ,30 January

I am not the star of my movies

GMT 15:03 2013 Friday ,02 August

Guerlain unveils autumn collection

GMT 11:33 2016 Wednesday ,06 January

China 'firmly opposes' North Korean nuclear test

GMT 13:09 2015 Tuesday ,25 August

Bahrain condemns suicide attack in Beheira
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday