Dust storm, heavy pollution in China's capitol leads to 'hazardous' air quality
Fox News
The air quality in Beijing is plummeting due to dust storms and heavy pollution. The capital city's air quality index is 1,093, which is a "hazardous" level.
Beijing was formerly notorious for its terrible air quality, but conditions had much improved in recent years as authorities took heavily polluting vehicles off the roads and moved coal-fired power plants and heavy industry to the surrounding provinces.
The capital also used to be known for regular springtime dust and sandstorms caused by winds blowing in from the loess hills along the upper sections of the Yellow River to the west. Anti-desertification efforts have helped reduce both the frequency and intensity of the storms that had often turned the surrounding air a cataclysmic yellowish-red.