"‘Soil Penetrates Masks’ - Chinese Citizens Armed with Goggles"

Worst Air Quality Index Across Beijing

The sky over Beijing, the capital of China, has once again been covered by a severe yellow dust storm. This is the third intense yellow dust event this month, following those on the 10th and 14th.

According to the Beijing Environmental Protection Monitoring Center on the 22nd, as of 8 a.m., the Air Quality Index (AQI) across Beijing recorded the worst level, Grade 6 'Severe Pollution'.

China's AQI is divided into six levels: Excellent (0?50), Good (51?100), Light Pollution (101?150), Moderate Pollution (151?200), Severe Pollution (201?300), and Severe Pollution (301?500). The higher the AQI number, the worse the air quality.

On the 22nd, a woman wearing a mask and goggles is walking on the street in downtown Beijing, China. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The highest measurable AQI level in China is 500 μg/m³, and the Environmental Protection Monitoring Center reported that the average AQI in Beijing this morning was 500 μg/m³. All 35 air pollution monitoring stations installed throughout Beijing recorded an AQI of 500 μg/m³.

The main pollutant was fine dust (PM 10). This morning, the concentration of fine dust per 1 m³ in most areas of Beijing exceeded 1500 μg.

The fine dust concentrations in the central districts of Chaoyang-gu and Xicheng-gu were 1613 μg/m³ and 1736 μg/m³ respectively, while some areas in the southern Daxing-gu recorded 4647 μg per 1 m³.

On the 22nd, citizens wearing masks are walking on the streets in downtown Beijing, China. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

In response, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow dust yellow alert this morning. China’s yellow dust alerts are divided into four levels: blue, yellow, orange, and red, with red being the most severe pollution level.

Local residents expressed dissatisfaction with the hazy sky over Beijing from early morning. One Chinese citizen complained, "This is already the third yellow dust event this year," while another said, "On my way to work this morning, the yellow dust penetrated my mask and I could smell the dust." Due to the dense yellow dust, visibility in Beijing is only about 1 km, and some citizens even went outside wearing goggles.

On the 22nd, citizens wearing masks are crossing an intersection in downtown Beijing, China. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

This yellow dust is expected to travel on northwesterly winds and may affect South Korea on the 23rd. The National Institute of Environmental Research forecasted that fine dust concentrations will be high, especially along the west coast, due to the yellow dust. However, the institute cautioned, "The concentration, range, and duration of the yellow dust are highly variable depending on whether additional dust sources emerge and the wind patterns, so please refer to the latest forecasts."

The Korea Meteorological Administration also stated, "Yellow dust originated from the Gobi Desert and Inner Mongolian Plateau in China, and additional yellow dust is forming in northeastern China on the 22nd. The yellow dust will move southeastward on northwesterly winds, so please refer to fine dust forecasts."

On the 22nd, Chinese citizens are crossing a pedestrian overpass located in the center of Beijing.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]