Post date: Oct 22, 2013 1:15:48 PM
Thick smog envelopes part of northeastern China, forcing the closure of schools and highways, state media reports.
HARBIN CITY, HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE, CHINA (OCTOBER 21, 2013) (CCTV) - Dense smog blanketed parts of northeastern China on Monday (October 21), forcing the closure of roads and schools in some areas, state media reported.
In Harbin City, the capital of northeastern Heilongjiang province, all primary and middle schools suspended classes, the airport was closed as well as some public bus routes due to the smog, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Xinhua said the smog is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.
Other parts of northeastern China also experienced severe smog, including Tangshan, two hours east of Beijing, and Changchun, the capital of Jilin province which borders Heilongjiang.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed footage of residents in several northern Chinese cities wearing face masks.
In nearby Liaoning province traffic was delayed on 10 expressways as a result of the smog, CCTV said.
Harbin city's air quality index measuring PM2.5, or particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5), exceeded 1,000 in some parts of Harbin, which is home to 11 million people.
A level above 300 is considered hazardous, while the World Health Organisation recommends a daily level of no more than 20.
Air quality in Chinese cities is of increasing concern to China's leadership because it plays into popular resentment over political privilege and rising inequality in the world's second-largest economy.
China said earlier this month, it would give rewards amounting to 5 billion yuan ($816.91 million) for curbing air pollution in six regions where the problem is serious, underscoring government concern about a source of public anger.
The Finance Ministry said the regions eligible for the rewards were Beijing and its neighbouring city of Tianjin, the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong, as well as the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Smog over northern cities in January generated widespread anger as did the discovery of thousands of dead pigs in March in a river that supplies water to the city of Shanghai.
Last week, Beijing city released a colour-coded alert system for handling air pollution emergencies, to include the temporary halt of construction, factory production, outdoor barbecues and the setting off of fireworks.