Beijing issues second ever pollution red alert

A second pollution red alert has been issued in the Chinese capital Beijing, after the first ever such warning was issued just a week previously.

The city will experience hazardous smog from Saturday to Tuesday, according to the National Meteorological Centre.

The centre said that a huge area from Xian in central China to Harbin in the north-east would also be badly affected.

City officials have advised residents to avoid outdoor activities and some schools will be closed.

Red alert is the highest of the four-level alert system that was introduced two years ago and it means that restrictions will be triggered on vehicle use, factory operations and construction work.

Exposure to the particulate matter in smog, PM2.5, has been linked to lung damage and serious respiratory illnesses by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Heavy smog also hit Beijing on 8 December with residents being encouraged to stay indoors.

Meteorological authorities have forecast the new wave of smog will exceed 500 micrograms per cubic metre.

According to the authorities, the smog will cover about 2,000km (1,200 miles), encompassing at least 12 major cities including Beijing and Shijiazhuang.