This news section is about the worst sandstorm that happened in China a month ago. This type of sandstorm was not seen in China for a decade. In the previous days, Beijing was enveloped in orange color dust created by the dust particles of a toxic sand storm. This orange sky caused the Beijing skyline to disappear completely. This sandstorm hit the Capital of China, Beijing, on 15 March 2021. This storm came from the gale force winds of Mongolia which blew the dust from the Gobi desert.
Moreover, the breaking news about this sandstorm is that 341 people remained missing in Mongolia due to this storm. Beijing’s situation became more worsen when the air pollution of this city increased after the lockdown opening. The air quality index of this city was 999 that is tremendously hazardous. That is why we are giving this news to you, but before getting deep into sandstorms related to china, let’s take an introduction to sandstorms.
What is a sandstorm?
We all have listened to sandstorms many times. But not everyone is completely aware of us. Before giving the news about sandstorms in Beijing, let us define a little about sandstorms. A sandstorm is a natural phenomenon from a strong wind when a sufficient amount of sand particles are blown in the air from a dry surface. These particles can be held in the air for up to several hours. They can cause erosion, and wind can make them travel everywhere near the places from deserts or sandstorms origin.
This situation is also known as a dust storm. But these particles are bigger than dust particles. That’s why they can completely be seen in the air. They can make the air dusty and orange where they are spreading in the storm.
Terrestrial resources of sandstorms:
Usually, sandstorms are common in arid and semi-arid regions. The primary terrestrial resources of these sandstorms are North Africa and Arabian Peninsula. Moreover, the Sahara desert, Takla Makan, and the Gobi desert of China also go through sandstorms. A sandstorm remains to confine in the lower 10 ten from the ground. But it can heighten up to 50 feet from the ground. This storm can fall out fast. That’s why its particle is unable to go farther. It is an idea that these particles fall on oceans and rivers, thus causes many harmful impacts on the marine ecosystem. A noteworthy thing about sandstorms is that they are getting worsen and intense with time.
What causes a sandstorm?
The major cause of a sandstorm is the wind blowing over the loose sand particles inside a desert. The wind uses its full force to pick up the sand particles from the ground. These sand particles are heightened up in the air, and this process is called saltation. The sand particles are not allowed to come back on the ground due to the wind’s large force. These sand particles are broken into smaller pieces, and then they are transferred into fine particles.
These fine particles are then traveled to other areas around the desert or near the desert with the help of suspension. Now when it comes to the source of that wind that blows the sand particles, then we would tell you that this wind is produced by rain-cooled air from a thunderstorm. A cold front can also help the wind to produce a sandstorm. In deserts, sandstorms are usually caused by strong pressure gradients and thunderstorms. Further adding on, its reasons can be wind and drought as they also contribute to the formation of sandstorms.
What are the effects of sandstorms?
Undoubtedly, sandstorms are badly notorious for their drastic and huge effects on the economic growth of a place with environmental risks to people’s health and livelihood.
- First of all, sandstorms are causing soil erosion in most places. This is accelerating the process of land degradation. Furthermore, in many areas of the world, including northern China, grasslands’ desertification has started to occur.
- Sandstorms are composed of large particles of sand, but the horrible part is that they contain many virus spores which can interact with the environment very badly. And due to this, the diseases are spreading around the whole world with a greater tendency.
- Another harmful impact of sandstorms is that they increase the chances of lung infections inside human beings. The places where sandstorms are happening, their people are having a greater risk of having asthma.
- Moreover, diseases such as silicosis can also be developed due to prolonged exposure to the sand particles. If these conditions remain untreated, then this can also lead a person to lung cancer and asphyxiation.
- Sandstorms are also hurting agriculture and the quality of air.
15 March 2021’s Sandstorm inside China:
On the 15 March 2021’s sandstorm of China, a statement was come from China’s National meteorological center by giving a weather alert. They stated that their country has never experienced such a huge and drastic sandstorm in 10 years. Moreover, 400 flights were canceled out. They were instructed to remain inside the country due to poor weather conditions. The whole city was told to remain inside the home, but many people came out of their homes to capture some amazing pictures in that rusty orange dust. As a man was spotted on cycle with his dog enjoying that orange, dusty climate.
Sandstorm intensity inside China:
Well, Beijing and China are not very unfamiliar with the sandstorms due to their nearness to the Gobi desert. They are quite used to it. But from the 1950s, due to soil erosion and deforestation, the situation of these sand storms has become worsen. Sandstorms are coming more frequently and with great intensity in China. People cut down all the trees that were standing on the Mongolian borders as a buffer for sand particles. But the cutting of these trees caused severe harm to China’s climate.
However, in 1970, a huge reforestation plan was carried out on these borders to prevent a sand storm. It became successful to many extents for stopping the sand particles from frequently coming inside China’s air. Now they are still planning to grow trees on 87 million acres place. Due to this implantation of trees, sandstorms were reduced from 26 to 3 in china. But do you guys know that how much climate is changing? It is getting worsen day by day, and the sandstorms are becoming more intense, causing China great harm now and in the future.
Health problems in China:
Beijing people suffer from horrible air pollution because they are completely relying on their economy on coal power. They have increased population and due to which traffic is increased inside the city. We all know that air pollution is really dangerous for health, but can you imagine its impact on human health when combined with a huge sandstorm? In this current stand storm, the safe limit of weather and climate was crossed, set by the world health organization. If things remain like this and man will be doing their best to increase the air pollution, then no doubt, China’s residents will suffer a lot in this environment. Sandstorms mixed with air pollution can be turned out into a deathbed for them.
