Persistent smog blankets 15% of China  

雾霾笼罩中国近七分之一国土 连发五天霾黄色预警

近日我国中东部大部分地区都出现了灰霾，灰霾影响面积约为143万平方公里，约占国土面积的15%，重霾面积约为81万平方公里。主要集中在北京、河北、辽宁、山西、山东、河南等地。据悉，此次霾过程要一直到2月27日才会彻底结束。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Altogether 1.43 million sq km of China's land territory, nearly 15 percent of the total, have been covered by persistent smog in recent days, Chinanews.com reported.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a yellow alert for smog on Monday morning, the fifth straight day such an alert was announced.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection sent 12 inspection teams to heavily polluted regions to review local governments' efforts to fight the pollution, including Beijing and Tianjin municipalities, and several cities in Hebei province.

Beijing raised its alert to orange, the second-highest of the four-level system, after it issued a yellow one the day before. Manufacturing plants in the city have suspended or cut production, building work is halted, and no barbecues are allowed.

Hebei went on orange alert on Monday, and an emergency response was initiated.

Tianjin issued a yellow alert for smog for the following days, along with emergency measures that included a driving ban based on the plate number.

The weather center estimated that a cold front expected in North China around Thursday will disperse the lingering smog.