It's Spring! Cloud Of Sand, Toxic Dust Heading To S. Korea From China - Reuters

[hatrack]

SEOUL, Feb 22 (Reuters) - South Korea said a pall of sand mixed with toxic dust from China could make its way to the Korean peninsula late on Thursday, starting a seasonal event blamed for scores of deaths and billions of dollars in damages. The sand storms have been growing in frequency and toxicity over the years because of China's rapid economic growth and have led to increased tension with neighbours South Korea and Japan.

"There is an increasing possibility that yellow dust will appear some time between Thursday night and Friday," South Korea's Meteorological Administration said in a posting on its Web site. The dust, which originates in the Gobi Desert in China, picks up heavy metals and carcinogens such as dioxin as it passes over Chinese industrial regions, before hitting North and South Korea and Japan, meteorologists say. Dry weather and seasonal winds in China hurl millions of tonnes of sand at the Korean peninsula and Japan each spring.

South Korea used to have yellow dust storms about four days a year in the 1980s, nearly eight days a year in the 1990s and over 12 days a year since 2000, the Environment Ministry said.

The state-sponsored Korea Environment Institute said the dust kills up to 165 South Koreans a year, mostly the elderly or those with respiratory ailments, and make as many as 1.8 million ill. Annual economic damage to South Korea from the storms is estimated at between 4.2 trillion won to 5.5 trillion won ($4.47 billion to $5.86 billion), according to the institute.

EDIT

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP3857.htm

[rodeodance]

1. I saw my first Robin 2 days ago (and it is actually above freezing the

last few days (except today--back down to mid 20's again)

[Javaman]

2. hail the great toxic cloud!!!

boy I look forward to that festival every year!

I can't wait to get out my sequined haz-mat suit.

[hatrack]

3. I particularly like the strings of toxic lead beads they throw

I mean, it's kind of disconcerting to hear all those people on the balconies yelling "Show us your tumors!!", but you get used to it after a while.

[Javaman]

4. I know and those creepy guys running around with the Geiger counters from...

"girls gone toxic". It's just not the family event it once was.

[BeFree]

5. We need more?

South Korea used to have yellow dust storms about four days a year in the 1980s, nearly eight days a year in the 1990s and over 12 days a year since 2000,...

Damn that South Korea, they have 9 more days than they used too. We got some cacthing up to do, because America always wants more.