APR 7, 2000 Sandstorm causes chaos in Beijing

The capital is hit by its worst storm in 10 years as winds sweep up sand from the encroaching desert and from the city's numerous construction sites

By MARY KWANG CHINA CORRESPONDENT

BEIJING -- The Chinese capital was hit yesterday by its worst sandstorm in 10 years, which bathed the city in a thick sepia haze and curtailed visibility considerably.

More than 40 flights were delayed at the Beijing Capital Airport and several dozen other flights were diverted to other airports.

The storm, which started to blow in earnest at 10 am and abated in the night, was the sixth major sandstorm to hit Beijing since spring began in mid-February.

Weather experts predicted that more sandstorms would envelope Beijing in the coming weeks.

According to the Chinese media, weather experts said that this year's sandstorms were particularly bad.

The winds reached as far south as cities such as Shanghai.

Other areas affected included Gansu, Ningxia, Shandong, Tianjin, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Jiangsu.

The sandstorms originated in the western part of Inner Mongolia.

The situation was caused by a combination of factors, the experts said.

Spring arrived early this year.

There had been less rain than in previous years.

The vegetation had not grown by the time the spring winds started to blow.

The winds whipped up the bare earth and carried the sand southwards.

The indiscriminate clearing of grassland and forests over the years had led to the growing desertification of China's north-west. Each year, one million tonnes of sand fall on Beijing. The desert has encroached to within 70 km of the capital. Although China started a programme in recent years to grow trees in the region to form windbreakers, the trees were too young to serve their purpose.

Experts estimated that it would take 15 years for the trees to mature.

In Beijing yesterday, many left their bicycles at home and used public transport.

The traffic flow was slower because of the poor visibility.

Pedestrians pulled scarves over their faces as a screen, while those who were unprotected had to endure sand particles striking their faces.

A 27-year-old woman whose face was reddened by the assault said: "My cheeks feel quite painful, although I can't see the grains of sand."

A passerby said that he did not wish to talk because he was afraid of sand getting into his mouth.

Construction workers downed tools for the day. In a previous sandstorm, some construction workers fell off scaffolding to their deaths.

The sand particles aggravated Beijing's already-poor air quality.

To compound the problem, the city was dotted by hundreds of construction sites with numerous sand heaps which were blown away by the spring winds.

Chinese television reported that Beijing hospitals were busier than usual yesterday as people sought treatment for eye and breathing problems.

Sand attacks on the rise

THE number of severe sandstorms to have hit China in the past 50 years:

1950s: 5

1960s: 8

1970s: 13

1980s: 14

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/ea9_0407.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), April 07, 2000