A picture of a landmark high-rise enclosed in fog at Beijing's Central Business District, 5 December 2011. (Photo: Youth.cn)
The heavy fog starting to close in on Beijing last Sunday night will not clear off until this Wednesday with the air quality dropping below the standard point on Monday, a Xinhua report said today.
The short-term air pollution index exceeded 400 within the night yesterday, reaching a degree of grade 5, a level measured as "heavy" pollution, according to Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.
The air quality turned better on Monday with the pollution index falling to between 150 and 170, yet the overall air quality will not be completely improved until the fog melts away, a staff with the Bureau is quoted as saying.
Beijing's pollutant emmision level has reached the critical point and the air quality, according to environmental protection experts, is very sensitive to the meteorological condition and could slide sharply in times of extreme weather.
A picture taken at Beijing's Central Business District, 5 December 2011. (Photo: Youth.cn)
A picture taken at Beijing's Central Business District, 5 December 2011. (Photo: Youth.cn)
A motorcyclist drives along the Ritan East Road in the eastern part of downtown Beijing, December 5, 2011. The capital city has been shrouded in fog since Sunday night. (Photo: Youth.cn)
A road cleanser sweeps the fallen leaves at Ritan East Road in the eastern part of downtown Beijing, December 5, 2011. (Photo: Youth.cn)
