China’s weather observatory issued a yellow alert on Saturday for smog as the high pollution levels choked most regions in the country’s north with no signs of abating.
On Saturday morning, PM 2.5 density in most parts of Beijing ranged between 260 and 400 micrograms per cubic meters, far above the safety standards set by the WHO (World Health Organization), the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) said in a statement.
Other regions, including Hebei, Shandong, Henan and Shaanxi provinces, will also be shrouded by heavy smog before a cold front gradually disperses the pollution, the NMC forecast said, adding that heavy rain will continue in the south. The statement reminded people to pay more regard to safety on the roads, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
China has a four-tier warning system for severe weather, with red being the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue. On December 7, 2015, Beijing issued the first-ever red alert as the city of over 22 million people faced the worst ever smog, forcing authorities to shut down schools and putting restrictions on factories and traffic.