China pulls a Delhi: asks public to stay indoors after heavy smog alerts for Beijing

QUICK PILL

• Smog will persist in China from Sunday to Monday morning, the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) said.
• China has a four-tier colour-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

China today renewed its yellow alert for pollution in several cities and provinces including the capital Beijing - a city of over 22 million population - asking people to stay indoors and take precautions.

Smog will persist in China from Sunday to Monday morning, the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) said as it renewed its yellow alert for several cities and provinces.Last night, it issued orange alert which is only next to red for some cities.

Pollution levels escalate?

China has a four-tier colour-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan, Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Sichuan will experience smog from Sunday to Monday morning, the NMC said.

Smog will be particularly heavy in parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Liaoning.

The public have been warned to take protective measures when engaging in outdoor activities and those who suffer from respiratory diseases are advised to stay indoors, it said.

In Beijing the levels of PM2.5, the smallest and deadliest form of airborne particulate matter, touched 300 yesterday, regarded very harmful for citizens.

The centre for the first time sounded red alert for smog on December 7 for the first time leading to host of measures including shutting down schools and regulating traffic with odd and even numbers.It repeated it two weeks later as the smog levels worsened.

-PTI