Korea's weather service issued a yellow dust warning for the capital area and part of islands off the west coast, according to a news report. The Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued an advisory for five islands near the western sea border with North Korea at 3 p.m. and extended to Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province about three hours later. The KMA heightened the level of advisory to a warning late last night, Yonhap News Agency said.
Most of the country will come under the influence of the hazardous dust from today, it said.
Korea is troubled by the seasonal phenomenon every year from February through April, as sand and other dust from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia are carried over to the country by easterly winds.
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| Skyscrapers in downtown Seoul on Sunday are shrouded by yellow dust storms blowing in from China`s Gobi desert |
A yellow dust advisory is issued when an hourly average dust concentration of over 400 micrograms per cubic meter continues for over an hour, according to the weather service. A yellow dust warning is issued if the dust concentration exceeds 800 micrograms per cubic meter per hour for over two hours. Weather officials advised people to refrain from outdoor activities and wear masks if they have to go out.
