TIANJIN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The northern Chinese port city of Tianjin Wednesday issued an orange alert for heavy air pollution in the coming few days.
The Tianjin municipal bureau of ecology and environment advised the children, elderly and those suffering from heart, lung and allergic diseases to stay indoors and suspend outdoor activities.
Unfavorable weather conditions and a rise in emissions of pollutants in wake of the Spring Festival holiday would lead to the air pollution, said Yang Yong, an official with the bureau.
A spate of emergency measures will be taken starting Thursday noon to ease the air pollution, said Yang.
Industrial companies in Tianjin, which borders Beijing, will suspend some operations or improve the pollution treatment to help slash the emissions of major pollutants by over 40 percent.
Meanwhile, authorities ordered the suspension of some outdoor construction operations and kept half of the medium- and heavy-duty trucks off the roads through an odd-even license plate number policy.
The air quality is expected to improve next Wednesday and Thursday when a weak cold front arrives, according to the local meteorological service.
The orange alert, the second highest, is issued when the daily average air quality index is forecast to surpass 200 for three consecutive days.
The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region sits in the heart of the North China Plain where air pollution, particularly winter smog, often occurs as a result of high concentrations of industrial and vehicle emissions, limited air circulation and the burning of coal.
More residents are increasingly worried about the health impacts, particularly of PM2.5. The smaller airborne particles pose a greater health risk as they can get deeper into the lungs than larger particles.
