Health warning as hazy Hong Kong chokes under ‘serious' air pollution
Hongkongers woke up to a dry and hazy Sunday with multiple districts experiencing 'serious' levels of air pollution under the influence of a dusty airstream from the north, with conditions expected to further worsen.
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The Observatory said Hong Kong had experienced its driest April morning since 1984.
Air pollution in urban areas such as Central, Eastern and Kwun Tong districts hit 'very high' health risk levels as of 10am, according to the Environmental Protection Department's air quality health index.
The department warned that health risks were 'very high' in Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, Tai Po and North districts in the New Territories. From Tai Mei Tuk in Tai Po, for example, the opposite shore at Ma Liu Shui and Ma On Shan, about 5km away, could not be seen because of the pollution.
The index has five health risk categories, 'low', 'moderate', 'high', 'very high' and 'serious', the highest level.
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Other districts also experienced high levels of air pollution.
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