By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser.
I agree
Search Trends
SITEMAP
Copyright © 2024 CGTN. 京ICP备20000184号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466
SITEMAP
Copyright © 2024 CGTN. 京ICP备20000184号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466
An exceptionally rare haze of Saharan dust cloaked Switzerland and southeastern France on Saturday, sparking health warnings as a yellow hue tinged the sky.
The phenomenon, which began in Switzerland on Friday, brings with it "a very clear worsening of sunlight and visibility. Added to that is an increase in concentrations of fine particles," the MeteoSuisse weather service posted on X.
With the dust concentrated at lower than 3,000 meters, air quality was especially affected, with Switzerland's airCHeck monitoring application flagging high levels of pollution in a corridor stretching from the southwest to the northeast.
Calculations estimate that the amount of dust reached around 180,000 tonnes, double the levels recorded during recent similar events, Switzerland's SRF Meteo forecaster Roman Brogli told public radio.
In neighboring France, local authorities in the southeast and south announced that the air pollution threshold was breached on Saturday, with the Herault department – an area in southern France – asking residents to avoid intense physical effort, particularly those with heart or respiratory problems.
The Sahara desert releases 60 to 200 million tonnes of mineral dust per year. While the largest particles come rapidly back down to earth, the smallest can travel thousands of kilometers.
The sand gives an orange tint to snow and can impact melting processes, notably for glaciers, which are shrinking as average temperatures rise, by reducing the ice's ability to reflect sunlight.
The situation is due to improve in France and Switzerland on Sunday.
(Cover image via CFP)