North Korea warns its citizens of Yellow Dust

North Korea warns its citizens of Yellow Dust

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations; Health & GS-III – Environment 

In news

• North Korea has urged its citizens to remain indoors to avoid contact with a mysterious cloud of ‘yellow dust’ which is blowing in from China. 
• This cloud could bring Covid-19 with it.

Important value additions 

Asian Dust 

• It is also known as yellow dust, yellow sand, yellow wind or China dust storms. 
• It is actually sand from deserts in China and Mongolia that high speed surface winds carry into both North and South Korea during specific periods every year.
• The sand particles tend to mix with other toxic substances such as industrial pollutants. 
• Thus, it is known to cause a number of respiratory ailments.