Beijing has been hit by its strongest winds in decades, causing flights and public transport to be suspended while millions of residents in the Chinese capital were told to stay at home on Saturday.
The winds, caused by a cold vortex sweeping in from Mongolia, prompted the meteorological bureau to issue an orange-level warning – the second highest in a four-tier system – for strong winds on Friday afternoon.
The winds, which battered much of northern China, including Tianjin and Hebei province, were also predicted to bring sandstorms with dust reaching as far as Shanghai.
Most weather stations in the city reported winds of Force 7 or above from Friday afternoon, with some reaching Force 14 – with some forecasters predicting the strongest April winds in the capital since 1951.
The highest recorded wind speed, in the Gaoshan Rose Garden in Mentogou district, was 162km/h.
The winds caused widespread disruption to travel, with more than 400 flights being cancelled at Beijing Capital Airport, according to Beijing News.
They also forced high-speed rail services to major cities including Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin to be suspended.
