Strong gales battered Beijing and northern China on Saturday, causing widespread disruption to flights and rail services. By 11:30 a.m. local time (03:30 GMT), 838 flights had been grounded at the city's two main airports, according to Reuters.
Winds reaching speeds of up to 93mph (150 kph)—the most powerful seen in Beijing in over 50 years — are forecasted to persist through the weekend.
As a result, several tourist spots and historical landmarks have been closed.
On Friday, authorities urged millions to stay indoors, with some state media joking that individuals under 50kg might be "blown away" by the gusts.
Train operations, including the airport's express subway and certain high-speed routes, have also been halted. Parks were closed, and old trees were either reinforced or pruned in preparation.
Still, nearly 300 trees have been toppled across the city, damaging multiple vehicles, though no injuries have been reported.
Most of Beijing's 22 million residents adhered to the stay-at-home warnings. "Everyone was anxious. The streets are nearly empty today, but the storm wasn't quite as bad as I expected," one resident told Reuters.
A businessman from Zhejiang province near Shanghai, stranded in the capital due to cancelled flights, said, "All flights last night and today were grounded because of the severe winds. I'll have to wait a few days before I can rebook."
The extreme weather is linked to a cold vortex system hovering over Mongolia and is expected to continue into Sunday.
While spring dust and sandstorms from Mongolia are common, climate change is believed to be intensifying such events.
Beijing has issued its first orange wind warning in ten years, with wind speeds anticipated to reach levels 11 to 13 on China's 17-level wind scale.
According to the China Meteorological Administration, level 11 can cause "serious damage," and level 12 results in "extreme destruction." The storm is expected to ease by Sunday.
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