Sandstorm at HKG today?!!

[HKAforever]

I've been living in HK for quite some time and even I have not seen weather this bad today. From my experience, this is not the usual grey smog you get from the Mainland factories. This is yellowish, and I can even taste dust in my mouth. The news has been reporting a sandstorm on the Mainland and heading south to Taiwan and other parts of Southern China. Anyone care to enlighten me as to whether this sandstorm is now impacting on Hong Kong as well?

[CXtreme]

From the Headland I see gray, I can see Tung Chung from my hotel room, so it's "not that bad". Descending into HKG this morning you could taste the usual metal passing FL 120.

[N1 Vibes]

HKAForever,

according to the radio (it's like the internet, only you can hear it!), the weather that is causing the sandstorm is equally pushing air southwards, and what you can see is not only 'sand' but all those lovely pollutants that normally float around further north of here. You will also notice as you are chewing on the air today that it has a coal/suplhurous quality to it.

Another interesting side note, is that the pollution meter in Tung Chung was out of action until an hour ago........conspiracies abound!

Good Health to All!

N1 Vibes :yuk:

[CXtreme]

I have just watched CNN News headlines. The reporter reporting from Beijing on the Rio Tinto saga is reporting outdoors, it look pretty bleak in Beijing.

[Coastrider26]

Well the Tung Chung measuring device is working again maybe they had to clean out all the "dust" :E must be the cleanest air in HKG now

anyhow these are the numbers from EPD site at 1335 hrs

Central/Western INOP
Eastern 415 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Kwai Chung INOP
Kwun Tong 431 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Sha Tin 408 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Sham Shui Po INOP
Tai Po 386 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Tap Mun 412 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Tsuen Wan 346 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Tung Chung 222 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Yuen Long 186 Very High Respirable Suspended Particulates
Roadside Station Station Location MapMedium

Causeway Bay 363 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Central 362 Severe Respirable Suspended Particulates
Mong Kok 413 Severe

[Bow Inn]

The smell of money is in the air again. Crank up those factories boys and lets not worry about the environment. If the viz stays bad, then profit share next year for sure. :)

[freightdog188]

they seem to have taken a lot of monitoring stations offline ..
or they simply clogged up and died.

Hong Kong's pollution problem | air-pollution/real-index/bar-chart (http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/air-pollution/real-index/bar-chart)

almost 10 times the WHO safety levels - about a million particles per litre of air.
I think I'll stay inside and hug my HEPA filter ...

[N1 Vibes]

If you go over to the Hedley Environmental Index, you will see the 'Calculated Cost' of the current air pollution levels for today - gruesome reading - the current 'costs' due to pollution since midnight, 16 hrs ago:

- Deaths - 4.3 (since the 1st March they calculated 54 deaths, 2.5/day)
- Asthma Hospitalizations - 5.4
- Doctor Visits - 42,000
- Hospital Bed Days - 400

Hedley Environmental index from the Uni of HK HEI - Home (http://147.8.71.207/pollution/home.php?gp=5&period=3#s)

Beyond hugging the HEPA, start sealing the doors and windows and turn off the aircon....

[HKAforever]

Yeah, the local news is now reporting HK is having it's worst ever pollution readings due to the sandstorm. Best to stay indoors today.

[freightdog188]

This is unbelievable ... we're on our way to 11x WHO limits, Government API at 495 - that's almost off-scale ... it only goes up to 500.

It seems to be NOT from the Shenzhen / Guangzhou factories though, more likely the Sandstorms ...

Have a look at the Aerosol Optical Depth image at 10:38 HK time ..Canton And Shenzhen are almost in the clear ....

http://www.weather.gov.hk/wxinfo/intersat/modis/aod/201003220238_HK_V2_AOD.png


not that it made a difference to your lungs ..

[HKAforever]

Thanks for the update freightdog, here is the news story (with video) on the ghastly record pollution. The report confirms the sandstorm as the main cause, but also mentioned the man-made pollution as well.

Intense pollution fouls Hong Kong air - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/03/22/hongkong.pollution/index.html?section=cnn_latest)

Hong Kong, China (CNN) -- Air pollution at or near record levels in Hong Kong on Monday was caused by a sandstorm from northern China, environmental officials said.
The Environmental Protection Department urged people, especially those with breathing or heart problems, to stay indoors and limit physical exertion.
Schools had been ordered to cancel sports activities, said Environment Secretary Edward Yau, according to Radio Television Hong Kong, a public television station.
Hong Kong's air pollution has grown progressively worse during the past two decades, as pollution from mainland China has blended with pollution generated by Hong Kong.
Over the years, poor air quality has even affected the view across Victoria Harbor, which separates Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon Peninsula by less than 1 km (0.6 mile) at the narrowest point.
On days with heavy pollution, the vibrant lights and skyscrapers on either side of the harbor cannot be seen from the other side.

Ironically, Tung Chung and the airport actually has slightly better visibility. If you are further East like in Sha Tin where I am now, it's really nasty.

[N1 Vibes]

Agree that todays pollution element is not coming from Shenzhen etc. But the air that is transporting the sand from Beijing, is also transporting every other lung-choking compound that is produced from the local 'clean' coal power stations....

[Fly747]

Pollution 'causing early deaths' - Yahoo! News UK (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100322/tuk-pollution-causing-early-deaths-6323e80.html)
If they think it is this bad in UK then how many times worse must it be in HK?

[Canuckian]

It looks like the EPD might have to extend the top end of the API. :{


http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/3c629b9db3.png (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

[bekolblockage]

So does their equipment only measure up to 500 or is that as high as they're game to publish? Wonder what the actual value is.

[quadspeed]

Will I ever forgive myself for putting my children through this? Will they?

[freightdog188]

Causeway Bay Respirable Suspended Particulates (13.38 times WHO levels)
Central/Western INOP
Eastern Respirable Suspended Particulates (15.03 times WHO levels)
Yuen Long Respirable Suspended Particulates (9.63 times WHO levels)
Tai Po Respirable Suspended Particulates (13.93 times WHO levels)
Mongkok Respirable Suspended Particulates (14.71 times WHO levels)
Kwai Chung INOP
Shatin Respirable Suspended Particulates (14.9 times WHO levels)
Sham Shui Po INOP
Tap Mun Respirable Suspended Particulates (13.49 times WHO levels)
Tung Chung Respirable Suspended Particulates (10.69 times WHO levels)
Central Respirable Suspended Particulates (13.77 times WHO levels)
Tsuen Wan Respirable Suspended Particulates (13.36 times WHO levels)
Kwun Tong Respirable Suspended Particulates (15.1 times WHO levels)

WHO Guideline is 50 µg/m3 or 105,000 particles per litre ...

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/051fec3583.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)


The current levels are the highest ever recorded since the EPD began monitoring air quality in 1995. Particulate matter (PM) today has been around 700 micrograms per cubic meter, 14x the levels recommended under the WHO Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs). Even by the HK Government’s very lax, outdated Air Quality Objectives (AQOs), the current levels of PM are 4 times greater than the AQO for PM10. Finally, we would like to point out that, as of 7 pm, all the EPD monitoring stations showed readings of API 500, meaning they were probably maxed out and not calibrated to take readings above 500. (N.B. the API is an averaged index of pollutants which is NOT correlated to micrograms per cubic meter, so do not try to compare the API with the AQOs or AQGs.)

[HKAforever]

According to the news, the sandstorm originated from the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia. The loss of topsoil and the disappearance of various salt lakes meant the dust is easily blown by the winds. It first hit Beijing. Because of the high pressure in Central China, it actually curved along the coast, hitting coastal China, Taiwan and now Hong Kong.

[1200firm]

I seem to recall there was a BIG sandstorm in Oz recently but I don't recall a post about that. So allow me to suggest that if you are not happy with the air quality in HK then......leave. Quit bitching about it on this forum.

[Al E. Vator]

1200 firm...oh there's a classic response. Not only do you have your head in a sandstorm, by pretending everything is ok you have your head in the sand!

The forum is titled 'Sandstorm in HKG today' - if people can't 'bitch' about it here then where should they?

How dare they excercise their right to freedom of speech! Hopefully your post was a wind-up and not genuine, you couldn't be that myopic.

China and HK need desperately to work on environmental issues. Telling everybody there is no problem (or to stop complaining) won't fix this problem.

PS: 1200 - took your expert advice and did leave. Could not subject myself and kids to that any longer.

[HKAforever]

Hehehe, 1200firm, you don' happen to be the infamous "Aussiestinks" now? Kidding aside, I understand how you feel. But's it's precisely because I cared about the city that I mentioned the sandstorm. I am not some expat who is here just for the job. I haved lived here for many years and have laid down roots in this place. This city has many wonderful and great things going for it. Efficient and clean public transportation, low taxes, easy access to country parks to name just a few. But there are also issues with pollution. I mentioned the sandstorm because I want the pollution to be reduced. I am making constructive criticism here. I do it because I cared about the city deeply.

[hongkongfooey]

I'm taking your advice 1200, you can stick this polluted :mad:hole where the sun don't shine ( eg here )

[kluge]

Yep I'm out of here too.

After 14 albeit enjoyable years I'm moving to Singapore.

HK pollution is getting worse and its not the place it used to be pre handover. Had enough of the locals too but we wont go there.



Or maybe its because I saw my own footprints on the toilet seat :eek:

Time to go.

[NoseGear]

Im joining the rush.....just had confirmation yesterday from the doctor here....youngest son has asthma, caused by the horrendus pollution over the last month.......my biggest fear was that this would affect them....:uhoh::ouch::(:(