Strong sandstorm affects Taiwan: EPA

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on March 20, 2006. It reports that a sandstorm originated in Mongolia recently came over Taiwan. The Environmental Protection Administration issued a statement to urge the public that they should avoid outdoor activities due to poor air quality.

The Environmental Protection Administration warned that those with respiratory problems, the elderly and children with weak constitutions should avoid going outside. These people were advised not to exercise strenuously outdoors because fine dust particles in the air might damage their health.

Due to the sandstorm, the concentration of dust and suspended particles in the air had reached 200 micrograms per cubic meter. This was higher than the acceptable maximum safe level of 150 micrograms per cubic meter.

The sandstorm formed in Mongolia and China's Inner Mongolia as strong winds picked up sand and dry topsoil from arid regions. It then swept east to Korea and Japan before reaching Taiwan.