Yellow dust engulfs South Korea in distress after shrouding China

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.

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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.

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"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.

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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)

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