Chinese authorities issued a warning for a strong sandstorm that will last until 08:00 tomorrow in the Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Hubei provinces, as well as the capital Beijing and Shanghai. Authorities also warned that the sandstorm may cause respiratory distress. People who were going to travel were called to postpone their plans due to reduced visibility.

Air pollution has risen sharply in recent weeks, following the frequent occurrence of sandstorms in Beijing. After the gray clouds and dense fog covered the sky in Beijing, authorities announced that the air quality index climbed to serious levels.