<p>China has been engulfed in severe yellow dust for more than a month now. This yellow-coloured sandstorm now spreads to China’s neighbours South Korea and Japan. People in these countries took refuge in face masks and hooded jackets as they ride out of their houses on another dust-laden day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The phenomenon of yellow dust, also known as Asian dust, occurs every year during the spring months. The yearly ordeal for millions in North Asia originates from the Gobi desert that borders China and Mongolia. These springtime winds then reach the Korean peninsula every year, but it is the first time that they have reached farther east Japan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from poor visibility and aggravated air pollution, these winds come with a greater risk of respiratory problems. When the dust arrives, it brings along industrial pollutants, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and even heavy metals, none of which are good for respiratory health. This contamination is not just limited to humans, the dust loaded with heavy metals and industrial pollutants also damages crops and soil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-school-girls-mock-mizrahi-jews-during-purim-skit-draws-flak-for-racism-582340">Israel: School girls mock Mizrahi Jews during Purim skit, draw flak for racism</a></p>

<p>According to AirKorea, which is managed by the country’s environment ministry, these fine dust particles could reach “very unhealthy” levels in Seoul this week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The dust has already enveloped 18 provinces of China, not just with poor air quality but also with gloominess and the same is happening in Seoul.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"You don't feel happy. It's like a very bad weather day. You naturally want to be outside on a sunny day. But when the weather is very dirty, you feel depressed and want to stay inside," said the 34-year-old Thompson, who moved from the US to South Korea in 2011 for work.</p>

<p>Eom Hyeojung said there appears to be "no realistic way to avoid yellow dust", so she sent her daughter to school anyway despite the health risks.</p>

<p>WATCH |&nbsp;<strong>Air pollution spikes in Beijing</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/air-pollution-spikes-in-beijing-574937/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>"As it happens so often, like every year, I just let her go. It's sad, but I think it became just a part of our life," said the 40-year-old teacher from Seoul.</p>

<p>Sandstorms in the region have been increasing in frequency since the 1960s due to rising temperatures and lower precipitation in the Gobi wilderness, Chinese authorities said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This year, sandstorms started bearing down on parts of China in March, causing the skies to turn yellow. In the first two weeks of April alone, there have been four sandstorms and the most recent one left cars, bikes and houses coated in dust.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cyclone-ilsa-batters-western-australia-breaks-decade-old-wind-record-582319">Cyclone Ilsa batters Western Australia, breaks decade-old wind record, brings trail of destruction</a></p>

<p>A video of a woman sweeping three kilos of dust inside her Inner Mongolia flat has received three million views on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. During the sandstorm, she inadvertently left a window open and soon she was covered in dust “like a terra cotta warrior”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the height of the most recent sandstorm, the concentration of fine dust or PM10 in the Chinese capital was 46.2 times the World Health Organization's guideline value.</p>

<p>In Seoul, PM10 levels were double the government threshold to qualify as very bad for health. In the city of Ulsan, southeast of the capital, it was even higher. The health risk from PM10 particles is immediate as they are easily inhaled. One particle is smaller in diameter than a human hair.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


China has been engulfed in severe yellow dust for more than a month now. This yellow-coloured sandstorm now spreads to China’s neighbours South Korea and Japan. People in these countries took refuge in face masks and hooded jackets as they ride out of their houses on another dust-laden day.

China has been engulfed in severe yellow dust for more than a month now. This yellow-coloured sandstorm now spreads to China’s neighbours South Korea and Japan. People in these countries took refuge in face masks and hooded jackets as they ride out of their houses on another dust-laden day. The phenomenon of yellow dust, also known as Asian dust, occurs every year during the spring months. The yearly ordeal for millions in North Asia originates from the Gobi desert that borders China and Mongolia. These springtime winds then reach the Korean peninsula every year, but it is the first time that they have reached farther east Japan. Apart from poor visibility and aggravated air pollution, these winds come with a greater risk of respiratory problems. When the dust arrives, it brings along industrial pollutants, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and even heavy metals, none of which are good for respiratory health. This contamination is not just limited to humans, the dust loaded with heavy metals and industrial pollutants also damages crops and soil. Also Read | Israel: School girls mock Mizrahi Jews during Purim skit, draw flak for racism According to AirKorea, which is managed by the country’s environment ministry, these fine dust particles could reach “very unhealthy” levels in Seoul this week. The dust has already enveloped 18 provinces of China, not just with poor air quality but also with gloominess and the same is happening in Seoul. "You don't feel happy. It's like a very bad weather day. You naturally want to be outside on a sunny day. But when the weather is very dirty, you feel depressed and want to stay inside," said the 34-year-old Thompson, who moved from the US to South Korea in 2011 for work. Eom Hyeojung said there appears to be "no realistic way to avoid yellow dust", so she sent her daughter to school anyway despite the health risks. WATCH | Air pollution spikes in Beijing × "As it happens so often, like every year, I just let her go. It's sad, but I think it became just a part of our life," said the 40-year-old teacher from Seoul. Sandstorms in the region have been increasing in frequency since the 1960s due to rising temperatures and lower precipitation in the Gobi wilderness, Chinese authorities said. This year, sandstorms started bearing down on parts of China in March, causing the skies to turn yellow. In the first two weeks of April alone, there have been four sandstorms and the most recent one left cars, bikes and houses coated in dust. Also Read | Cyclone Ilsa batters Western Australia, breaks decade-old wind record, brings trail of destruction A video of a woman sweeping three kilos of dust inside her Inner Mongolia flat has received three million views on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. During the sandstorm, she inadvertently left a window open and soon she was covered in dust “like a terra cotta warrior”. At the height of the most recent sandstorm, the concentration of fine dust or PM10 in the Chinese capital was 46.2 times the World Health Organization's guideline value. In Seoul, PM10 levels were double the government threshold to qualify as very bad for health. In the city of Ulsan, southeast of the capital, it was even higher. The health risk from PM10 particles is immediate as they are easily inhaled. One particle is smaller in diameter than a human hair. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Yellow dust engulfs South Korea in distress after shrouding China

<p>China's capital Beijing has launched a month-long campaign to stamp out air pollution violations, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, after the city was choked by two sandstorms in as many weeks.</p>

<p>Beijing's air quality index (AQI) reached the maximum 500 on Sunday, as dust carrying extremely high levels of hazardous particles blew in from Mongolia and northwest China.</p>

<p>In mid-March, the city was hit by what China's weather bureau called the biggest sandstorm in a decade.</p>

<p>Although external factors were blamed for the conditions, the Beijing authorities will carry out inspections on all local construction sites until the end of April, severely cracking down on violations such as allowing construction dust to get out and unpunctual clearance of waste, Xinhua said.</p>

<p>Beijing's infamous smoggy skies have cleared up in recent years after China imposed tighter emissions standards on industry in surrounding areas.</p>

<p>So far in 2021, however, the number of air pollution violations investigated and dealt with by Beijing's urban management law-enforcement bureau has increased by 30% year-on-year to 4,791, Xinhua said.</p>

<p>The AQI reading in Beijing was down to 104 as of 1030 GMT on Monday, still classed as "unhealthy".</p>


China's capital Beijing has launched a month-long campaign to stamp out air pollution violations, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, after the city was choked by two sandstorms in as many weeks.

China's capital Beijing has launched a month-long campaign to stamp out air pollution violations, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, after the city was choked by two sandstorms in as many weeks. Beijing's air quality index (AQI) reached the maximum 500 on Sunday, as dust carrying extremely high levels of hazardous particles blew in from Mongolia and northwest China. In mid-March, the city was hit by what China's weather bureau called the biggest sandstorm in a decade. Although external factors were blamed for the conditions, the Beijing authorities will carry out inspections on all local construction sites until the end of April, severely cracking down on violations such as allowing construction dust to get out and unpunctual clearance of waste, Xinhua said. Beijing's infamous smoggy skies have cleared up in recent years after China imposed tighter emissions standards on industry in surrounding areas. So far in 2021, however, the number of air pollution violations investigated and dealt with by Beijing's urban management law-enforcement bureau has increased by 30% year-on-year to 4,791, Xinhua said. The AQI reading in Beijing was down to 104 as of 1030 GMT on Monday, still classed as "unhealthy".

Beijing launches campaign to stamp out air pollution violations after sandstorms engulf city

<p>North Korea has warned its citizens to stay indoors over fears that "yellow dust" which blows in from China could infect the population with COVID-19.</p>

<p>Yellow dust&nbsp;contains harmful ingredients&nbsp;and directly acts on the human respiratory system.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yellow dust refers to sand from Mongolian and Chinese deserts that blow into North and South Korea at certain times of the year. It is intermingled with toxic dust that for years has raised health concerns in both countries.</p>

<p>However, Okryu-gwan, a restaurant in the capital Pyongyang, well known for serving&nbsp;North Korea's signature cuisine "Pyongyang naengmyeon",&nbsp;is operating at full capacity and is violating social distancing norms imposed due to the surge in coronavirus cases.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-north-korea-warns-against-coronavirus-dust-storm-from-china-337572/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The famous restaurant is cramped up with&nbsp;customers without any booths to separate one from another. It is still working at a full capacity at a time when most eateries in the world are shutting down amid concerns of a second wave.</p>

<p>Jong Sol Hung, one of the&nbsp;restaurant's&nbsp;managers, said&nbsp;"We will continue to work more closely on our emergency quarantine projects, while serving the people more actively, and thereby do our best to inspire the strong will of our people by the time the 80-day campaign is over."</p>

<p>Despite claiming the country has no cases of coronavirus, there are deep fears about COVID-19 in North Korea and leader Kim Jong-un has been holding high-level meetings to ensure tight restrictions remain in place.</p>

<p>Analysts have said it is highly unlikely that North Korea has not experienced any coronavirus cases at all.</p>

<p>The behavior of&nbsp;Kim Jong-un's regime raises the question that what is likely to spread the Wuhan virus more?</p>

<p>A&nbsp;wave of yellow dust from miles away&nbsp;based on unproven science or hundreds of people packed into a single restaurant.</p>


North Korea has warned its citizens to stay indoors over fears that "yellow dust" which blows in from China could infect the population with COVID-19. Yellow dust contains harmful ingredients and directly acts on the human respiratory system.

North Korea has warned its citizens to stay indoors over fears that "yellow dust" which blows in from China could infect the population with COVID-19. Yellow dust contains harmful ingredients and directly acts on the human respiratory system. Yellow dust refers to sand from Mongolian and Chinese deserts that blow into North and South Korea at certain times of the year. It is intermingled with toxic dust that for years has raised health concerns in both countries. However, Okryu-gwan, a restaurant in the capital Pyongyang, well known for serving North Korea's signature cuisine "Pyongyang naengmyeon", is operating at full capacity and is violating social distancing norms imposed due to the surge in coronavirus cases. × The famous restaurant is cramped up with customers without any booths to separate one from another. It is still working at a full capacity at a time when most eateries in the world are shutting down amid concerns of a second wave. Jong Sol Hung, one of the restaurant's managers, said "We will continue to work more closely on our emergency quarantine projects, while serving the people more actively, and thereby do our best to inspire the strong will of our people by the time the 80-day campaign is over." Despite claiming the country has no cases of coronavirus, there are deep fears about COVID-19 in North Korea and leader Kim Jong-un has been holding high-level meetings to ensure tight restrictions remain in place. Analysts have said it is highly unlikely that North Korea has not experienced any coronavirus cases at all. The behavior of Kim Jong-un's regime raises the question that what is likely to spread the Wuhan virus more? A wave of yellow dust from miles away based on unproven science or hundreds of people packed into a single restaurant.

North Korea on high alert due to yellow dust coming from China

yellow-dust

Yellow Dust, News on Yellow Dust, stories on Yellow Dust, articles on Yellow Dust, Yellow Dust stories at Wion, Yellow Dust news, Yellow Dust latest news