Pollution alert in China as visibility drops amid smog

Not just India's capital, but even China's capital is covered in pollution. Chinese authorities have issued highest warnings for fog and haze as major cities are covered in heavy smog. Major cities in the northern part of the country were covered in smog on October 31, Tuesday.

The Authorities warned the public that visibility could drop to less than 50 meter owing to high pollution and smog.

Hebei, a northern province in China, has launched an emergency response to combat rising pollution levels, according to the country's meteorological bureau. The measures include strict traffic controls, such as suspending flight takeoffs and landings, temporarily closing highways, and halting ferry services when necessary. Additionally, authorities have cautioned road users to seek safe parking areas during adverse conditions and advised people to stay indoors.

If the capital, Beijing, activates its highest air pollution warning, the city will also implement traffic control measures. In recent days, heavy smog has blanketed northern parts of China, with unseasonably high temperatures reaching nearly 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, attributed to weak cold air currents from the north pole.

Experts suggest that increased industrial activities, heavy trucking, and crop fires have contributed to the pollution and haze. Regional power consumption in late October rose by 5%, particularly in industries like cement, brick, and tile manufacturing, exacerbating the conditions.

Parts of Tianjin municipality, Hebei, Shandong provinces, and eastern areas of Jiangsu province have experienced heavy fog, resulting in visibility of less than 1 km (0.62 mile). According to the National Meteorological Center, light to moderate haze will persist in central and southern parts of China's northern region until Thursday, with severe haze expected in the central areas.

Relief is anticipated from Thursday night as cold air currents move in from the north, potentially weakening and dissipating the haze.

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