Millions of Beijing residents told to stay at home as strong winds batter northern China
Flights and rail services have been suspended and attractions such as the Great Wall and Forbidden City have been shut
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, Hebei, Shandong and other parts of the east coast, were also predicted to bring sandstorms with dust reaching as far as Shanghai.
The extreme weather also saw thunderstorms and darkened skies across large areas. Residents in some areas were sealing their windows to stop them falling in and multiple trees were reported to have fallen in Beijing.
Most weather stations in the city reported winds of Force 7 or above from Friday afternoon, with some reaching Force 14. Some forecasters were predicting the strongest April winds in the capital since 1951.
The highest recorded wind speed, in the Gaoshan Rose Garden in Mentougou district, was 162km/h (100mph).