Second Sand Storm Blankets South Korea

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 10, 2002

Second Sand Storm Blankets South Korea

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A second sand storm blanketed South Korea Monday as strong winds blew sand from desert regions in China across the West Sea. Schools cut the length of class hours and 50 domestic flights were canceled, while the government issued high and medium alerts in eight cities and provinces against the storm. Seoul local government issued the highest dust storm warning with the micro particle pollution density recording 1,042x/x per hour at around 1:00pm.

The density of dust in the capital soared to record 3,311x/x at 3:00 the highest since the S. Korea Meteorological Office started surveying in 1995, but fell to 805x/x at around noon. The highest warnings were issued in Daejeon and Gyeongbuk Province, but Daegu and Incheon, and Gyeonggi, Chungnam, and Jeonbuk provinces all had lower states of alert.

In Seoul, 316 out of 542 elementary schools in the capital cut class hours on Monday due to the storm as education offices in the capital and in provinces ordered elementary and kindergarten schools to consider cutting class hours or closing at the discretion of each headmaster.

The Ministry of Environment and the KMA predicted the dust storm would last until at least April 9, warning senior citizens, patients and children to think twice before going outside.

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