Beijing Experiences Heavy Pollution Before Olympic Games
Posted on: Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 13:35 CDT
Just two and a half months before the Olympic Games in Beijing, the city has been rated at “heavily polluted” after a sandstorm from Mongolia hit the region.Authorities with the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau warned that residents with respiratory problems should stay inside and avoid breathing particles in the air.
Pollution in the city has already become a concern for athletes, as Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie was forced to pull out of the men’s marathon due to concerns that the pollution could trigger his asthma.
Beijing has made moves to reduce pollution in the city . Many top polluting entities in the region have been shut down, and Beijing has demanded that five surrounding provinces scale back or stop production in preparation for the Olympic Games in August.
State media also reported China had launched a second weather satellite on Tuesday to help improve forecasts for the Beijing Games. These reports are crucial because climatic conditions can impact the city’s attempts to rid the skies of pollution.
The 2,295-kg satellite Fengyun-3 will provide mid-range forecasts over 10 to 15 days, Xinhua news agency reported.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said that some endurance events might have to be shifted if the air quality is not good enough and the earlier they know about that possibility, the easier it is to re-schedule.
Some are also concerned that rain, which is common to Beijing in early August, could pose a threat to the opening ceremony in the Bird’s Nest National Stadium on August 8.
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Source: redOrbit Staff and Wire Reports
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