The northern cities of China find themselves under a shroud of smog, with visibility plummeting significantly, leading authorities to issue their most severe pollution warnings for fog and haze on Tuesday. These warnings serve as a stark reminder of the environmental challenges faced by these urban areas.
The northern province of Hebei has initiated an anti-pollution emergency response, entailing a set of measures to ensure public safety in the midst of these adverse conditions. These measures encompass various aspects, including the regulation of traffic safety. In cases where it is deemed necessary, actions may range from the suspension of flight operations to the temporary closure of highways and the suspension of ferry services. The Chinese Meteorological Bureau conveyed these directives through an official notice.
Road users have also been advised to exercise caution, with instructions to halt at designated safe parking locations whenever conditions warrant such actions. Furthermore, people have been urged to stay indoors to minimize their exposure to the polluted air.
Additionally, Beijing has indicated its readiness to implement traffic control measures should the capital activate its highest air pollution warning.
The northern regions of China have experienced a prolonged period of heavy smog. This phenomenon coincides with unseasonably warm autumn temperatures, reaching levels akin to early summer, hovering around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas. Experts attribute this unusual weather pattern to the presence of weak cold air currents originating from the North Pole.
Air pollution levels in the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, as well as the northern part of Henan province, have reached moderate to severe levels. Pollution control experts have highlighted several contributing factors to the haze, including increased industrial activities, heavy truck traffic, and crop fires. State media, such as CCTV, has reported an upsurge in regional power consumption in late October, particularly in sectors such as cement, brick, and tile industries, exacerbating the environmental conditions.
On Tuesday morning, areas like Tianjin municipality, Hebei and Shandong provinces, as well as eastern sections of Jiangsu province, experienced heavy fog, leading to visibility dropping to less than 1 km (0.62 miles), according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).
The NMC has projected that light to moderate haze will persist in the central and southern portions of China's northern region until Thursday. Severe haze is anticipated in the central regions. However, a glimmer of hope arises as cold air currents are expected to stream in from the north starting Thursday night, creating favorable conditions that could help weaken and disperse the haze, according to the weather forecast.
