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Caution urged as Beijing smog levels soar | Caution urged as Beijing smog levels soar |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Residents of China's capital, Beijing, have been warned to take precautions after air pollution readings soared. | Residents of China's capital, Beijing, have been warned to take precautions after air pollution readings soared. |
Readings on Thursday registered more than 20 times the recommended exposure levels by the World Health Organisation (WHO). | Readings on Thursday registered more than 20 times the recommended exposure levels by the World Health Organisation (WHO). |
Thick smog reduced visibility to a few hundred metres, shrouding skyscrapers and leaving an acrid smell in the air. | Thick smog reduced visibility to a few hundred metres, shrouding skyscrapers and leaving an acrid smell in the air. |
Officials advised people going to work to wear protective masks, and children and the elderly to stay indoors. | Officials advised people going to work to wear protective masks, and children and the elderly to stay indoors. |
WHO guidelines say average concentrations of the tiniest pollution particles - called PM2.5 - should be no more than 25 microgrammes per cubic metre. | WHO guidelines say average concentrations of the tiniest pollution particles - called PM2.5 - should be no more than 25 microgrammes per cubic metre. |
On Thursday, official readings for PM2.5 at one point showed more than 500 microgrammes per cubic metre. | On Thursday, official readings for PM2.5 at one point showed more than 500 microgrammes per cubic metre. |
Another monitoring post at the US embassy said the pollution level was briefly more than 25 times higher than the amount considered safe by WHO. | Another monitoring post at the US embassy said the pollution level was briefly more than 25 times higher than the amount considered safe by WHO. |
Four highways linking Beijing to other cities were temporarily closed on Thursday morning due to poor visibility, Xinhua news agency says. | |
"I couldn't see the tall buildings across the street this morning,'' one man named Zhang, a traffic co-ordinator, told the Associated Press news agency. | "I couldn't see the tall buildings across the street this morning,'' one man named Zhang, a traffic co-ordinator, told the Associated Press news agency. |
China's cities are frequently blanketed by pollution caused by coal-burning power plants, factories, and millions of vehicles on the roads, says the BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing. | China's cities are frequently blanketed by pollution caused by coal-burning power plants, factories, and millions of vehicles on the roads, says the BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing. |
Studies estimate that air pollution causes hundreds of thousands of premature deaths every year, our correspondent adds. | Studies estimate that air pollution causes hundreds of thousands of premature deaths every year, our correspondent adds. |
Following widespread criticism from the public and the state-run media, officials pledged to do more to clean up the air after pollution levels in Beijing reached hazardous levels last year. | Following widespread criticism from the public and the state-run media, officials pledged to do more to clean up the air after pollution levels in Beijing reached hazardous levels last year. |
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