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Smog hazard in east China
华南地区大雾弥漫 出行受影响
The smog has arrived, and it’s getting worse. In several cities around east China’s Anhui Province, pedestrians and drivers have been left in a haze. And with the heavy air pollution posing a risk to public health, doctors are recommending less outdoor activities and more preventative measures.
"Bacteria can adhere to the fine particles in the haze, causing a series of respiratory diseases," said Dr. Zhang Zhengguo from Huangshan People's Hospital in Anhui Province.
The smog has already proven to have fatal consequences. At 5 am Friday morning, poor visibility along a highway in Zhejiang Province led to a car crash in Jiaxing city. Two people were killed and another one seriously injured. Three hours later, another accident happened on a highway in Ningbo, as visibility from the smog dropped to less than ten meters. Six vehicles were involved, including one oil tanker. At least one person died.
Experts say the dense smog is a result of industrial pollution in the area. "This year smog in the Yangtze River Delta Area,including Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and Shanghai municipality is unusually heavy. Although there is no central heating in the area during winter, thermal power stations and coal-dependent industries have led to high air pollution," said Pan Benfeng, senior engineer of China Naitonal Environmental Monitoring Center.
In Jiangsu Province, crop burning has also contributed significantly to the build-up of fine particles. A local TV reporter went to a burning farm field, but it was barely visible on camera because of the dense smoke.
"My eyes now sting and tears keep coming out. You can smell the burning 200 meters away," the reporter said.
Forecasters say the smog in north and east China is expected to ease starting from Sunday afternoon, as a cold air front reaches the areas.
