Smog that has been smothering much of northern China for the past 10
days is not just affecting peoples' ability to breathe. The haze is so
thick that flights are struggling to land and schools are considering
closing.
Visibility has dropped to less than 30 meters in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, forcing a number of roads to close.
Some truck drivers are opting to simply stay put until the air pollution nightmare ends.
One
hundred forty-five flights have been canceled at Harbin's Taiping
airport, and a South Korean flight was forced to turn around after being
unable to land.
In the northeastern city of Shenyang, authorities held a press conference to explain why the smog is lasting so long.
"This
winter, because of El Nino, the winter monsoon has been weak.
Atmospheric circulation is conducive for heavily-polluted days to
occur," said Shenyang Weather Bureau spokesperson Yin Zuochen.
Another
question on people's mind is: What type of pollutants are in the air
and how dangerous are they? Officials do not have any answers yet.
"The
smog hasn't ended yet, and it's unscientific to reach a conclusion too
early. But the conclusion will eventually be publicized to the public.
We hope everyone can be patient," said Li Gang, Deputy director of
Shenyang Environmental Protection Bureau.
Authorities say they
will continue to ask large-sized and coal burning factories to cut down
on production. They are also pausing construction work. But the smog is
continuing to take a toll on peoples' health. The solution is to drink
more water, not stay up late at night, and wear surgical masks.Many drug
stores have already sold out this type of mask. That is an unwelcome
sight for those without one, as the smog is not expected to clear until
next week at the earliest.
Source: CCTV
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