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Beijing issues air pollution alert

Xinhua, October 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Beijing on Thursday issued a blue alert for air pollution as the smoggy weather is forecast to persist for another 24 hours.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) on Thursday night was estimated at 220-240,with hazardous fine particulate matter PM2.5 being the major pollutant, according to Beijing Environmental Protection Monitoring Center.

The pollution is likely to persist on Friday as the steady weather remains unhelpful for pollutants to disperse, said Wang Buying, an engineer at the center. Wang added that rain forecast for Saturday would help improve the air quality.

Residents are advised to wear masks, reduce outdoor activities and take public transport instead of driving. Construction sites and factories have also been ordered to reduce emissions.

China has a four-tier color-coded system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue. Endit