China has been forced to close highways and school playgrounds in the capital city of Beijing on Friday due to heavy pollution.
Gatekeepers News reports that the development comes as China ramps up coal production and faces scrutiny of its environmental record at international climate talks.
Beijing municipal government has issued a yellow alert for heavy air pollution which came into force from 4 pm Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Gatekeepers News reports that under the country’s warning system for air pollution, red is the most severe warning. This is followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Unfavourable weather conditions are blamed for the smog covering Beijing and neighbouring regions from Wednesday to Saturday, according to the city’s weather authorities.
On Friday, a thick haze of smog covered swathes of northern China, reducing the visibility in some areas to less than 200 metres. The city officials said smog is likely to persist until at least Saturday.
