Chinese city blanketed in heavy pollution

Clouds of pollution covered the Chinese city of Harbin on Monday, cutting visibility, shutting down schools and forcing transport services to close. Footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed the faint outline of roads, cars and traffic signals under a blanket of charcoal-brown smog. Elementary and middle schools cancelled class and operations were stopped for public buses, long-distance coaches and the airport. News agency Xinhua reported visibility in the city center dropped to less than 50 meters. Monitoring stations reported concentrations of PM2.5 – tiny airborne particles considered the most harmful to health – reached 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, 40 times the World Health Organization’s recommended standard.

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