Beijing air quality plummets amid dust storm, pollution

BEIJING (AP) — Skyscrapers in Beijing have disappeared into the haze and air quality plummeted as China’s capital is enveloped in a dust storm and heavy pollution. Concentrations of the tiny PM2.5 particles that can reach deep into the lungs and bloodstream rose above 1,000 on air quality monitoring sites on Friday. Beijing was formerly notorious for its terrible air quality, but conditions had much improved in recent years as authorities took heavily polluting vehicles off the roads and moved industries to the surrounding provinces. The capital also used to be known for regular dust and sandstorms in the spring caused by winds blowing in from the loess hills along the upper sections of the Yellow River to the west, although anti-desertification efforts have helped.