 "Sandstorm causes severe air pollution, traffic disruptions in Beijing")
A strong sandstorm in the Chinese capital led to major traffic disruptions in the city on Monday morning, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
A yellow alert was issued in Beijing on Monday. The concentration of harmful PM2.5 particles in the air was about eight times the standard level (247 micrograms per cubic meter vs the recommended 25 micrograms).
Visibility was limited to less than 1,000 meters (0.6 miles). Cars were driving with headlights on and severe traffic jams occurred across the city in the early hours of Monday.
The city authorities recommended that outdoor events are cancelled.
The sandstorm moved to Beijing from Mongolia, where it originated, according to the Beijing environmental monitoring centre.
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