Handan escalated smog alert to red

SHANGHAI, Jan 19 (SMM) – Handan, a major steelmaking hub in north China’s Hebei province on Saturday escalated the smog alert from orange to red, the highest level in Beijing’s three-tier warning system for heavy air pollution.

The alert will remain in place until further notice.

This round of heavy pollution has prompted 72 Chinese cities across Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and nearby regions, the Fenwei plain and the northern part of the Yangtze River Delta region to issue smog alerts since a week ago.