page_title: 2013 Northeastern China smog
section_title: Effects
hierarchical_section_title: 2013 Northeastern China smog / Effects
caption_attribution_description: English: An image depicting the heavy levels of smog in Harbin, China.
context_page_description: A dense wave of smog began in Northeast China, especially in major cities including Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang, as well as the surrounding Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces on 20 October 2013. Unseasonably warm temperatures with very little wind across northeastern China coincided with the initiation of Northeast China's coal-powered municipal heating system. Record densities of fine particulates were measured in the city.
  In Harbin, the levels of PM2.5 particulate matter rose to 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre, worse than Beijing's historic highs. Visibility dropped to 50 metres and authorities grounded flights and closed more than 2,000 schools.
  In Changchun, air pollution recorded at an all-time high and the levels of PM2.5 particulate matter rose to 845 micrograms per cubic metre on 22 October 2013.
  The smog eased on 25 October 2013 and had completely dissipated by the 28th due to a cold front that had moved in from Russia.
context_section_description: All highways in the surrounding Heilongjiang province were closed. In Harbin, all primary and middle schools and the airport  were closed for three days.
  Hospitals reported a 23 percent increase in admissions for respiratory problems.
  Visibility was reduced to below 50 m (160 ft) in parts of Harbin, and below 500 m (1,600 ft) in most of the neighboring Jilin province. On Fa Yuen Street in Harbin, visibility of less than 5 m (16 ft) was reported.
  In Changchun, the capital of Jilin province, PM2.5 level rose to 845 on 22:00 p.m., 22 October 2013. Visibility of less than 50 m (160 ft) was also reported, but Changchun education bureau refused to close the school and was criticized by parents of the students and public. Other cities in the surrounding Jilin province, including Jilin, Songyuan and Fuyu, ordered to close the schools on 22 October.
  Daily particulate levels of more than 40 times the World Health Organization recommended maximum level were reported in parts of Harbin municipality. The smog remained as of 23 October, when "almost all monitoring stations in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces reported readings above 200 [μg/m³] for PM2.5". PM2.5 is the amount of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter in the air, with the World Health Organization recommending a maximum 24-hour mean of 25 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³). On the morning of 23 October, PM2.5 measurements in Harbin had fallen to an average of 123 μg/m³.
caption: Smog in Harbin, China in December 2012
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