Smog Selfie

Beijing’s 1st ever red alert for smog  to last through Thursday noon

At 23:00 local time on Tuesday, the PM2.5 AQI in Beijing was 346 [“Hazardous”] down from a recent high of 400.

[The EPA’s revised breakpoints for the upper end of the hazardous air pollution band, AQI of 401 – 500, is equivalent to PM2.5 concentration of 350.5 – 500 μgm−³ averaged over a 24-hour period.  —Editor]

Original caption: A tourist takes photo of the Forbidden City amid heavy fog at the Jingshan Park in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 8, 2015. The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. on Tuesday to noon on Thursday. Under a red alert, the city’s emergency management headquarters has advised kindergartens, primary and high schools to suspend classes, banned outdoor operations on construction sites and required some industrial plants to limit or stop production. Car use will be limited during the red alert period as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 percent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd/even basis. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Original caption: This combination photo shows the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of the Temple of Heaven, taken on June 14, 2015 (L) and Dec. 8, 2015 (R), in Beijing, capital of China. Beijing has issued its first red alert for air pollution under a four-tier emergency response system created in October 2013. The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. on Tuesday to noon on Thursday. Under a red alert, the city’s emergency management headquarters has advised kindergartens, primary and high schools to suspend classes, banned outdoor operations on construction sites and required some industrial plants to limit or stop production. Car use will be limited during the red alert period as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 percent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd/even basis. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua). More images…

Related Links

• Hazardous Air: Beijing Finally Issues a ‘Red Alert’ December 7, 2015