Beijing: Authorities in Tianjin grounded dozens of flights and closed most highways yesterday after severe smog blanketed the city, one of more than more than 40 in China's northeast to issue pollution warnings in the past 48 hours.
Air quality index (AQI) readings at some monitoring stations in Tianjin, a port and industrial city southeast of Beijing, peaked above 400, state-run news agency Xinhua said. Anything above 300 is considered hazardous by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
China's environmental watchdog issued a five-day warning on Friday about choking smog spreading across the northeast and ordered factories to shut, recommended residents stay indoors and curbed traffic and construction work.
Pollution alerts have become increasingly common in China's northern industrial heartland, especially during winter when energy demand — much of it met by coal — skyrockets.
In addition, heavy winds force pollution from nearby provinces to the Beijing-Tianjin area where it remains suspended over the cities.
By 10am yesterday in Tianjin, 35 international flights had been delayed or cancelled and all highways in and out of the city, with one exception, were shut, Xinhua said.
