Yellow Dust Spreads From China to South Korea, Japan; How Unhealthy Is It?

The yellow-colored sandstorm, also known as yellow dust, has crossed borders from China and Mongolia to other Asian countries like South Korea and Japan. It has become an annual event.

Yellow Dust in South Korea

For millions of people in North Asia, yellow dust is a yearly annoyance as springtime winds carry sandstorms from the Gobi desert, which borders China and Mongolia, to the Korean peninsula. This year it has reached further east to Japan, BBC reported.

The particles are small enough to be breathed into the lungs, aggravating air pollution and increasing the risk of respiratory illness for those exposed to it.

Erling Thompson, who moved from the United States to South Korea, said one doesn't feel happy when there's yellow dust because it feels "like a very bad weather day."

Thompson noted that one usually wants to step out on a sunny day, but the dirty weather leaves them feeling depressed and contains them inside their homes.

Eom Hyeojung said yellow dust is almost an annual phenomenon, and there's no way to avoid it. Despite the health risks, she just let it go and sent her daughter to school. The 40-year-old teacher from Seoul acknowledged that it's sad, but it has become a part of their lives.

Han Junghee, 63, also noticed that the sky was getting murkier by the day. The telemarketer decided to skip her outdoor exercises.

According to AirKorea, the country's environment ministry, the fine dust particles could reach "very unhealthy" levels in Seoul this week, WION reported.

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What Is Yellow Dust?

Yellow dust is from China and Mongolia's dry desert regions. Winds pick them up and blow them across the continent, so it crosses borders and reaches other countries like Japan and South Korea.

It has been happening for a long time. The increased deforestation also increases the level of dust.

To make matters worse, the elevated levels of China's pollution make these dust particles take in dangerous substances as they blow over the nation and reach South Korea. Add to that the smog coming from Korea's factories. Imagine how polluted the air has become.

The likelihood of particles harming your health is strongly correlated with their size. The most dangerous particles are those with a diameter of fewer than 10 micrometers because they can penetrate deeply into your lungs, and some may even enter your bloodstream. Those particles can harm your heart and lungs when exposed to them.

Particle pollution exposure has been linked in numerous scientific studies to a number of health issues, including early death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, and increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing. Thus, it's critical to take precautions when the situation worsens.