The sandstorms which have blanketed north China for the last
three days were expected to ease Tuesday night the China
Meteorological Administration (CMA) said.
The sandstorms have affected at least ten provinces, autonomous
regions and municipalities including Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia and Beijing, said Qiao Lin, of the
CMA.
North China has experienced eight sandstorms this year, fewer
than the average, but more than last year and 2004, Qiao added.
North China suffered such storms almost every spring but the
situation had been worsened this year by higher than average
temperatures and a prolonged drought, he said.
Qiao observed that sandstorms occurred in areas with low
rainfall, scarce vegetation and frequent gales.
This year's storms left one person dead in a collapsed house in
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and stopped dozens of trains for
safety reasons in Xinjiang and Gansu.
Serious air pollution was reported in northern cities including
Lanzhou, capital of Gansu and Beijing.
North China should receive heavy rain in the next three days
which would help contain the airborne sand and?help relieve
the prolonged drought, according to the CMA forecast.
(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2006)
