Health warning as Beijing pollution hits worst level

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2005

BEIJING (AFP) — Beijing's pollution index hit its highest measurement level and authorities warned people to stay indoors as a murky grey haze settled over the Chinese capital.

The Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau said pollution had hit the heaviest level on the one-to-five scale five during the 24-hour period from noon Thursday.

"The city is experiening weather that is not beneficial to dispersing pollutants, so the city's emissions continue to concentrate creating a thick haze of pollution," it said on its website.

"Even under conditions of light winds, changes in temperature, high humidity and fog, the situation has only worsened."

The Beijing News called the pollution level the worst for the past six months as suspended particle levels...