China has been witnessing sandstorms since March. Reuters
China has been witnessing sandstorms since March. Reuters
Hazy skies, reduced visibility and increased air pollution are familiar sights in China, South and North Korea and Japan at this time of the year.
Yellow dust from sandstorms originating in the Gobi Desert, bordering China and Mongolia, affects millions in North Asia during this time.
These dust particles further exacerbate air pollution, putting people at risk of developing respiratory diseases.
What is the yellow dust and how is it afflicting China, South Korea and Japan this year? Let’s find out.
Yellow dust
Yellow dust is sand particles from deserts in China and Mongolia that are carried by springtime winds to reach the Korean peninsula and even Japan.
These particles mix with other toxic substances such as industrial pollutants and even heavy metals, as per Asia Society article.
Known as Hwang Sa in Korean, this yellow dust not only reduces visibility but also leads to several respiratory ailments.
In 2019, Japan’s ministry of the environment had said that yellow dust can cause itchy eyes, conjunctivitis, runny noses and sneezing.
As per the Mainichi Shimbun report, yellow dust is also associated with an increased risk of circulatory system diseases, such as strokes and heart infarctions.
China’s yellow haze
China has been rocked by sandstorms since March and it is now spreading to South Korea and Japan.
Sky-high buildings are reduced to just outlines in the sky as severe sandstorm hits China.
The first two weeks of April alone saw four sandstorms, with the latest one leaving houses and vehicles covered in dust particles.
Issuing its second sandstorm warning, the China Meteorological Administration notified earlier this week that bad air would continue till Friday (14 April) and spread across the country from Inner Mongolia to Beijing to Shanghai, reported Bloomberg.
As per BBC, a video of a woman sweeping three kilos of dust inside her residence in Inner Mongolia has gone viral on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
A 31-year-old woman in Beijing told BBC on condition of anonymity that she was coated in dust “like a Terracotta Warrior” after going on a run outside.
“Even my bedroom smells like dirt when I go to sleep. We’ve been quite used to sandstorm weather here in Beijing because it happens every spring. But the wind is too strong this time. I was the unlucky one,” she added.
A Beijing resident in his 30s told Japanese state broadcaster NHK that the yellow dust has adverse effects on health, adding that he can smell sand even indoors.
“Eating dirt” has started trending on social media in the Chinese capital which has seen frequent sandstorms since early March, reported Bloomberg.
During the peak of the most recent storm, fine dust or PM 10 in Beijing was 46.2 times more than the World Health Organization’s air quality threshold, as per BBC.
Chinese authorities cite increasing temperatures and lower precipitation in the Gobi desert as reasons for the region witnessing more and more sandstorms since the 1960s, reported BBC.
Yellow dust covers South Korea’s skies
AirKorea, which is managed by the country’s environment ministry, warned of “very unhealthy” air on Thursday due to sandstorms.
As per Bloomberg, commuters complained of sore throats as yellow dust reached South Korea.
PM 10 levels were 10 times higher than average on Wednesday, with authorities issuing a fine dust advisory.
The authorities also urged people with respiratory illnesses, the elderly and children to remain indoors and wear masks if they have to go outside.
Commenting on this seasonal phenomenon, Erling Thompson, who moved from the US to South Korea in 2011 for work, told BBC: “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”.
Yellow dust reaches Japan
A sandstorm hit several parts of western and northern Japan on Thursday, affecting visibility in many regions, reported Japan Today.
The sand particles also blanketed parts of Tokyo for the first time in two years, according to local broadcaster TBS.
Japan Meteorological Agency said on Wednesday that yellow dust reached the western prefectures of Shimane, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Yamaguchi, Tottori and Hiroshima.
Onishi Kazunari, associate professor at St. Luke’s International University, advised people to keep windows shut and limit the time spent outdoors.
“Yellow sand stimulates people’s mucosa through respiratory organs, and affects health by mixing with pollen and air pollution,” the professor was quoted as saying by NHK.
Authorities have warned of traffic disruptions due to poor visibility and asked drivers to remain careful.
Japan is expected to reel from yellow dust till Saturday, as per Japan Today.
With inputs from agencies
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