Sandstorms blanket Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on May 4. [Photo/Xinhua]

Sandstorms blew across the provinces of northern China on May 4, affecting a land area of over 1.63 million square meters. Resulting in reduced visibility and poor air quality, bitter winds howled across western and central Inner Mongolia.

Over 10 provinces including Gansu, Shaanxi, Hebei, Liaoning and Ningxia have recently encountered increasingly heavy sandstorms. Local weather departments have issued a blue-level warning for these regions.

Sandstorms in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region have resulted in reduced visibility and poor air quality. [Photo/Xinhua]