Beijing, Feb 25 (IANS): A fireworks spree at the Chinese traditional lantern festival Sunday dragged Beijing's air quality to hazardous levels, official figures show.
Till 7 p.m., the air quality indices (AQI) in the city proper stayed at Level V to VI, or the heavy to the severely heavy pollution, Xinhua cited data by the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center as saying.
The city's weather forecast station issued an alert, forecasting smog with visibility of less than 3,000 metres.
Weather and environmental protection authorities advised people to reduce fireworks.
The lantern festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Sweet dumplings, lantern puzzles, dragon boat races and fireworks are commonly seen across the country.