The sandstorm caused an unprecedented hike in air pollution measurements - with pollution levels in some districts at 160 times the recommended limit.

China’s National Meteorological Centre issued a yellow warning of a sandstorm at 6:00 am on March 15.

“Influenced by cold air and gale, from March 15 to 16, there will be blowing sand or floating dust in South Xinjiang Basin and eastern Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, southwestern Heilongjiang, western Jilin, western Liaoning, Gansu, Ningxia, northern Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin. Some areas of western Inner Mongolia, Gansu, northern Ningxia, northern Shaanxi, northern Shanxi, central-northern Hebei, and Beijing will experience sandstorm. Severe sandstorm will shroud parts of western Inner Mongolia, northern Ningxia, northern Shaanxi, and northern Shanxi,” the centre said.

In Mongolia, the National Emergency Management Agency said on Monday that the strong sandstorms had caused six deaths and 81 people were missing in the country. (ILKHA)