Beijing Skyline Barely Visible as Pollution Hits 'Red Alert' Level

On December 7, Beijing’s government issued its first red alert for air pollution, the highest level in the city’s four-tier system.

This footage, taken from a rooftop near Andingmen on December 8, shows the city’s skyline barely visible in a thick smog.

“It’s gray outside, even in the morning,” the uploader told Storyful. “The whole day kind of looks the same lighting-wise; it’s hard to tell what time it is.”

Schools and businesses were shut down due to the pollution, and according to information provided by the US Embassy in Beijing, air quality index levels in the city ranged around 200 to 350 in the morning and early afternoon, which is classified as “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” by the World Health Organization. Credit: Jesse Appell