Authorities in China issued an air pollution red alert for the heavy smog experienced by the people. The smog has caused authorities to cancel flights and shut down many highways in order to prevent destruction and further damage.
In the national capital Beijing, nearly 126 flights were reportedly cancelled at the city's main airport, while buses from airport heading towards neighboring cities were suspended as well, one reported noted.
The People's Daily reported on its official website that smog in Shijiazhuang city forced two dozen flights to be called off and nearly eight flights to divert to other airports.
Weather forecasts on Monday showed the smog would return to Beijing and nearby Tianjin city on Tuesday. It was expected to persist until Thursday in Hebei, the heavily industrialized province that surrounds the capital, and Henan and Shandong provinces, as the region battles freezing temperatures.
Severe pollution is forecast to persist in the region for three to seven days, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
