China issues warnings of sandstorms and strong winds sweeping across the north
China's National Meteorological Center has activated a Level 4 emergency response measure in anticipation of severe weather, including strong winds and heavy sandstorms, affecting large areas of northern China. These warnings come as the region experiences extreme weather fluctuations, requiring heightened vigilance.
Details of warnings and affected areas
Chinese authorities have issued a series of color-coded alerts to warn citizens and local authorities. A yellow alert for strong winds and sandstorms, while a blue alert warns of an approaching cold wave. According to official data, this weather pattern is expected to continue until Sunday, urging residents to take all necessary precautions.
The areas threatened by this wave encompass a wide geographical area including the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia, and the provinces of Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, and Shaanxi. The effects also extend to northern and northeastern China, reaching as far as the Shandong Peninsula, where dust-laden winds are expected to significantly reduce horizontal visibility.
Context of the phenomenon and the sandstorm season
These sandstorms are part of a typical seasonal weather pattern in China, especially during the spring. They often originate from strong air currents originating in the Gobi Desert and Mongolia, carrying enormous quantities of sand and dust over long distances, sometimes as far as neighboring countries like South Korea and Japan.
These warnings are of particular importance given their direct impact on air quality and public health, as sandstorms lead to a sharp rise in levels of fine particulate matter (PM10), posing a risk to the respiratory system, especially for children, the elderly, and those with chest diseases.
Control efforts and safety measures
Although China has made tremendous efforts over the past decades to combat desertification through massive projects such as the "Great Green Wall" (protective forest belt), climate change and harsh weather conditions still cause these dust storms from time to time.
Under these circumstances, the authorities called on citizens in the affected areas to close windows and doors tightly, secure temporary structures and billboards that may be blown away by the wind, wear protective masks when going out when necessary, and avoid outdoor activities until the dust storm clears up to ensure their safety.
