China: Sandstorm in Beijing - "It looks like the end of the world"

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It looks like an end-of-time scenario in a disaster film, but the pictures are real: a sandstorm has covered Beijing and large parts of northern China in thick dust.

Flora Zou, office worker

"It looks like the end of the world. I really, really don't want to be outside in weather like this."

It is the largest sandstorm in a decade, the state weather agency announced.

In the capital, the authorities therefore issued a "yellow alarm" warning of dangerous air levels and severely restricted visibility.

Road traffic was severely affected and Beijing's two main airports had to cancel more than 400 flights.

Erin Zhang, teacher

“That is nature.

Compared to nature, we humans are tiny and powerless.

We have to do what we can to protect the environment. "

The storm carried sand from the Gobi Desert and Mongolia to Beijing, which is already badly affected by smog.

Most of the capital city residents followed the advice of the local government and stayed at home, where an air purifier has long been part of the inventory of almost every apartment.