Many areas in northern China were covered in quicksand and dust on Thursday (Photo: AP)

A sandstorm has engulfed much of China and prompted warnings of respiratory hazards.

For the fourth time in a month, thick clouds of orange dust blanketed the northeastern regions, forcing some residents to stay indoors.

Forecasters said the sandy weather and high winds will continue into Sunday, adding that the public should take precautions to protect themselves from poor air quality.

The National Meteorological Center has updated a blue sandstorm warning, the least severe warning in the country’s four-tier weather warning system.

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A resident covers himself with a plastic bag as a sandstorm rips through the capital (Photo: AP)

More than a dozen regions, including major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, have been affected.

In the capital, buildings and traffic are shrouded in poor visibility. The IQAir website showed an air quality index of 540 and said the pollution was “dangerous”.

The Beijing Municipal Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center has issued the highest air pollution warning.

Running enthusiast Tu Jiaxian said the sandstorm had a “huge impact” on her life as it messed up her marathon training schedules.

People in face masks walk through an intersection during a dust and sand storm in Beijing, Thursday, April 13, 2023. Many areas of northern China were covered in floating sand and dust on Thursday, and a sandstorm was expected to sweep through parts of Inner China draw and Mongolia would draw. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

People with face masks in Beijing (Photo: AP)

FILE - Buildings are engulfed in dust and sand in Beijing, Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Many areas in northern China were covered in floating sand and dust on Thursday, and a sandstorm was expected to sweep through parts of Inner Mongolia. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, file)

Buildings in Beijing are shrouded in dust and sand (Photo: AP)

“I want to run but I can’t because of the weather. It’s very painful,” Tu said, adding that she wouldn’t be able to jog 6 miles a day for three days this week due to the weather.

Cao Yuanyuan, a newcomer to Beijing, was surprised by the blurry scene and took a picture of it.

But bad weather forced her to wear glasses and keep the windows closed in her room as a protective measure.

“But sand is still coming in and I can smell the earth,” Cao said.

Beijing regularly experiences sand storms in March and April due to its proximity to the great Gobi Desert.

A Chinese government official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said the number of sandstorms is now four times higher than in the 1960s.

They emphasized that this was due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall in the deserts of northern China and neighboring Mongolia.

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