Construction Halted Due to Severe Air Pollution
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 11:15 am
Shanghai authorities ordered school children indoors and halted all construction Friday as China’s financial hub suffered one of its worst bouts of air pollution, bringing visibility down to a few dozen meters, delaying flights and obscuring the city’s skyline. The financial district was shrouded in a yellow haze, and noticeably fewer people walked the city’s streets. Vehicle traffic also was thinner, as authorities pulled 30 percent of government vehicles from the roads. They also banned fireworks and public sporting events. The government’s air pollution monitoring site records the level of PM2.5, particulate matter hazardous to health at 477, one of the highest pollution levels ever recorded. The World Health Organization recommends an average PM2.5 level of 20 or below.