Chinese under 50kg Advised to Remain Indoors to Prevent Being ‘blown away’
Local authorities have issued an uncommon storm alert as wind speeds hit 150 kph, impacting the northern regions of the country. China has advised residents in the northern parts of the nation who weigh less than 50 kg to remain indoors, cautioning...
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Local authorities have issued an uncommon storm alert as wind speeds hit 150 kph, impacting the northern regions of the country.
China has advised residents in the northern parts of the nation who weigh less than 50 kg to remain indoors, cautioning that they could be “easily blown away” as strong winds affect the area, according to local media reports.
The nation's weather agency has put out five warnings for this weekend, addressing concerns regarding wind, rain, snow, and thunderstorms, with gusts reaching level 13 on a scale ranging from one to 17. The China Meteorological Administration indicates that level 11 winds can result in “serious damage,” while level 12 winds lead to “extreme destruction.”
An orange-level wind alert—China's second-highest warning—was issued in the capital on Friday for the first time in ten years.
The storm, caused by a cold vortex moving south from Mongolia, has brought gusts up to 150 kph across Beijing, Tianjin, and portions of Hebei. Authorities cautioned that the winds were potent enough to uproot trees with trunks up to 30 cm in diameter.
To mitigate potential damage, city parks were closed, and older trees were trimmed or reinforced. Despite these precautions, nearly 300 trees have been toppled, causing damage to various vehicles, though no injuries have been reported. Officials also urged Beijing’s 22 million residents to avoid non-essential travel.
“Everyone in Beijing was really nervous about it. Today there are hardly any people out on the streets. However, it wasn’t as severe as I had imagined,” a resident told Reuters. Another individual, a 30-year-old with the surname Li, remarked, “It wasn’t as severe as I had imagined – not to the point where it was impossible to go out – though it is having some impact on daily life.”
The storm has also caused disruptions in transportation, with over 400 flights canceled at Beijing Capital International Airport and several rail services suspended. While supermarkets remained operational, shelves were cleared rapidly.
In Hebei’s Shijiazhuang and Laiyuan County, falling trees and debris led to road closures, while sandstorms prompted further nighttime shutdowns.
To the west, Gansu and Ningxia reported sandstorms as well, resulting in visibility dropping to 50 meters in some regions.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
China has advised residents in the northern parts of the nation who weigh less than 50 kg to remain indoors, cautioning that they could be “easily blown away” as strong winds affect the area, according to local media reports.
The nation's weather agency has put out five warnings for this weekend, addressing concerns regarding wind, rain, snow, and thunderstorms, with gusts reaching level 13 on a scale ranging from one to 17. The China Meteorological Administration indicates that level 11 winds can result in “serious damage,” while level 12 winds lead to “extreme destruction.”
An orange-level wind alert—China's second-highest warning—was issued in the capital on Friday for the first time in ten years.
The storm, caused by a cold vortex moving south from Mongolia, has brought gusts up to 150 kph across Beijing, Tianjin, and portions of Hebei. Authorities cautioned that the winds were potent enough to uproot trees with trunks up to 30 cm in diameter.
To mitigate potential damage, city parks were closed, and older trees were trimmed or reinforced. Despite these precautions, nearly 300 trees have been toppled, causing damage to various vehicles, though no injuries have been reported. Officials also urged Beijing’s 22 million residents to avoid non-essential travel.
“Everyone in Beijing was really nervous about it. Today there are hardly any people out on the streets. However, it wasn’t as severe as I had imagined,” a resident told Reuters. Another individual, a 30-year-old with the surname Li, remarked, “It wasn’t as severe as I had imagined – not to the point where it was impossible to go out – though it is having some impact on daily life.”
The storm has also caused disruptions in transportation, with over 400 flights canceled at Beijing Capital International Airport and several rail services suspended. While supermarkets remained operational, shelves were cleared rapidly.
In Hebei’s Shijiazhuang and Laiyuan County, falling trees and debris led to road closures, while sandstorms prompted further nighttime shutdowns.
To the west, Gansu and Ningxia reported sandstorms as well, resulting in visibility dropping to 50 meters in some regions.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
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