For the fourth time in a month, Beijing and northeastern regions of China have been hit by a severe sandstorm, leading some residents to stay indoors to avoid the dense air pollution. Images have shown the capital engulfed in orange haze on Monday and conditions have only slightly improved since then.
The authorities have advised children, the elderly, and healthy adults to remain indoors, keep windows shut, and wear masks and face shields. The air quality index reached "severely polluted" levels on Monday, with PM10 particle concentrations exceeding the daily average guideline by almost 30 times.
The latest sandstorm is the eighth to hit China this year, and the affected areas have included Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Shanxi, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei. Rising industrial activity and rapid deforestation throughout northern China have worsened the smog.