Chinese capital Beijing on Thursday lifted its first ever red alert for smog as the hazardous haze which engulfed the sprawling city dissipated bringing much relief to the over 22 million residents. The first red alert, the highest emergency response level against smog in Beijing, started at 7 am Tuesday, and was lifted as air quality improved by noon. The red alert lasted for 53 hours and came as heavy smog flooded the city for the second time in as many weeks, State-run China Daily reported.
As of 12 o’clock at noon, the reading of PM2.5 – particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 microns that is hazardous to human health – was lowered to 26 microgram per cubic metre in the six downtown districts, falling at the best air quality level.
However, at 6 am, the PM2.5 reading was 216 microgram per cubic metre at the hazardous level, according to the municipal environmental monitoring station, the report said.