Beijing had its worst dusty air of the year on Thursday, as the air quality index reached level five, the worst rating on a five-point scale.

A sandstorm swept in from northwest China to the capital at about 4:00 AM., entering the city's urban districts one hour later and reaching its peak at 6:00 AM.

According to air monitoring centers in Beijing early on Thursday, suspended particles exceeded 1,500 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

"I saw cars blanketed with a thick layer of dust when I went outdoors at 6:30 AM. The air was so filthy that I could hardly breathe," said a female resident named Zhao in Chaoyang District, east central Beijing.

The local weather department predicted the dusty weather will linger for another day, but a possible shower on Saturday should improve air quality.

Though the dusty air has lowered visibility, it didn't affect traffic on highways and expressways. The environmental department advised people to stay indoors or try to reduce the time spent outdoors for the sake of their health.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2005)