Beijing airport. Credit: Wikipedia
Hundreds of flights have been scrapped and train services put on hold as strong gales swept through Beijing and northern China on Saturday.
At least 838 flights were cancelled at the capital’s two main airports. Gusts of wind reaching up to 93mph (150kph) — the strongest seen in Beijing in over 50 years — are set to continue through the weekend, forcing the closure of tourist spots and historic landmarks.
The day before, millions were urged to stay indoors, and some state media even joked that anyone weighing under 50kg could be “easily blown away”.
Train services, including the airport express line and several high-speed routes, have been suspended. Parks across the capital have shut too, with workers reinforcing or trimming older trees in preparation — though nearly 300 trees have already come down.
A number of cars were damaged, but thankfully, no injuries have been reported. Most people in Beijing seemed to take the warnings seriously, staying inside after the city advised its 22 million residents to avoid non-essential travel.
“Everyone in Beijing was on edge,” said one local. “The streets are practically empty today. But in the end, it wasn’t quite as bad as I’d feared.”
The strong winds are being driven by a cold air vortex over Mongolia, and are expected to stick around a few days.
Sand and dust storms from Mongolia are pretty common in spring, but climate change is making them more intense.
Beijing issued its first orange alert for strong winds in ten years, with top gusts expected on Saturday.
China uses a wind scale that runs from 1 to 17. Level 11 winds, according to the China Meteorological Administration, can cause “serious damage”, while level 12 brings “extreme destruction”. This weekend’s winds are expected to range from level 11 to 13.
Nationwide, the Chinese Meteorological Centre said five stations recorded winds over level 14 (42.5–46.4 m/s) in the last 24 hours, and over 12,700 stations picked up winds of at least level 8 (17.2 m/s).
A number of weekend sports events have also been postponed — including what was supposed to be the world’s first humanoid robot half marathon.
On social media, the warnings — especially the one about light people being blown away — have gone viral. One Weibo user joked, “I eat so much all the time, just for a day like this.”
Beijing has also issued a fire alert, banning people from lighting fires outdoors.
In the days leading up to the storm, locals rushed to stock up on essentials, emptying supermarket shelves. Authorities, however, reassured the public there was no risk of shortages and that prices remained steady.
Last year, the eastern Chinese metropolis of Shanghai cancelled flights at both of its airports due to Typhoon Bebinca, which made landfall bringing heavy rainfall in its wake.
