People wear masks as they walk through Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, with yellow dust sweeping into the country, Sunday. Yonhap
A thick blanket of yellow dust swept across Korea Sunday, pushing fine dust levels to “very bad” and prompting air quality warnings across the greater Seoul area.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Research, a fine dust advisory was issued for all 31 cities and counties in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province as of 1 p.m., with average hourly concentrations exceeding 150 micrograms per cubic meter for more than two hours.
Seoul’s PM10 level hit 339 micrograms per cubic meter, more than double the “very bad” threshold, while levels in Gyeonggi reached as high as 363 micrograms in the central region.
The Ministry of Climate and Environment raised a yellow dust alert for Seoul and southern and eastern Gyeonggi, urging residents to stay indoors and wear masks outdoors.
The yellow dust originated from the Gobi Desert and Inner Mongolia and is expected to affect the peninsula through Monday, with nationwide air quality worsening through the afternoon.
A sharp temperature drop is expected on Monday, with morning lows in Seoul falling to around minus 2 degrees Celsius and cold wave advisories taking effect in parts of the Jeolla provinces and South Gyeongsang Province starting late Sunday night.
Strong winds are forecast to accompany the front, with coastal and marine areas facing rough seas and waves reaching up to around 5.5 meters, raising the risk of maritime accidents.
Nationwide rain or snow is forecast on Tuesday, briefly helping wash out lingering dust but creating slippery roads.
Source: Korea Times News
