China renews blue alert for sandstorms

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory has continued its blue alert for sandstorms in multiple regions from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 8 p.m. Thursday.

This photo taken on April 11, 2023 shows roads and buildings shrouded in dust in Haidian District of Beijing, capital of China. (Photo: Xinhua)

Affected by cold fronts and heavy winds, floating sand and dust will sweep across areas including northwest China's Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, Hebei, and Beijing in the north, the central provinces of Henan and Hubei, as well as east China's Jiangsu and Shanghai, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Some places in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang will likely experience heavy sandstorms.

People have been advised to take precautions against wind and sandstorms, and drivers have been asked to prepare for poor visibility.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system for sandstorms, with red representing the most severe scenario, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.