20100322 Northern Taiwan swallowed up by Chinese dust storm

Northern Taiwan swallowed up by Chinese dust storm

STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
Monday, Mar 22, 2010, Page 1
　

A man crosses the road in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday as northern Taiwan was covered by a dust storm that originated in northern China.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

Taiwan was enveloped by a strong dust storm originating from northern China yesterday, turning the sky brown and drawing a number of people to emergency rooms after suffering discomfort of the eyes and throat.

Chang Wen-han (張文瀚), head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, said as of noon yesterday, the hospital’s emergency room was crowded with patients, with a majority complaining about their eyes being in pain after wearing contact lenses while riding a scooter, while others were suffering from discomfort of the throat.

Hospital authorities forecast the number of outpatients would also increase today as a result of the pall of airborne sand hanging over northern Taiwan.

People with cardiovascular or respiratory disease and those with weak immune systems, including young children and senior citizens, are advised to stay indoors until the sand has dispersed, said Chiang Chi-hui (江啟輝), head of Taipei Veterans General Hospital’s Department of Surgery.

“Drinking more water is also necessary,” he said.

The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) reported that the concentration of particulate matter in the atmosphere over northern Taiwan at about noon yesterday was 1,700 micrograms per cubic meter per hour.

“Twenty-four dust level monitoring stations in northern Taiwan have recorded record dust pollution as a result of the most severe sandstorm in decades,” the EPA said.

The EPA expected the shroud of sand to have reached southern Taiwan by nightfall.

Those interested in checking the latest updates on the dust storm should visit dust.epa.gov.tw.