Peshawa Jaf

Geohazard

University of Brighton

Dust-Sandstorm in China

By
Peshawa Al-Jaf

Dec 2010





Peshawa Jaf
Geohazard

Dust-Sandstorm in China
Introduction
Dust-Sandstorm is one of the hazards that effect to environment and human health and
activities in different part in the world (Qian et al, 2004). China is one of the countries that
exposed to dust-Sandstorm disaster and it became increasing in recent years (Gengsheng et
al, 2001). Desert areas in North and North West of China which have the arid and semi arid
climate are the major source of dust-sandstorm in China (Wang et al, 2004). Dust-Sand
storm is the result of strong turbulent wind systems entraining particles of dust and sand
into the air, reducing the visibility to less than 1000 meter (Goudie, 2008) (guaguang, 2002).
Furthermore, Wang et al (2006) defined dust-sans storm as a natural phenomenon occurs in
the situation of strong wind or cyclone movement in desert and surrounding area. Two type
of dust-sandstorm are recorded in Chinese literature yellow wind and black wind (Qian et al,
1997, Wang et al, 1997, Zhang et al, 1997 cited in Qian et al, 2004).

Dust-sandstorm Requirements
Three impotent requirements needed to happening of dust-sandstorm
1- Strong wind at low level and cyclone movement
2- Thermally unstable atmospheric stratification
3- Thick dry soil or sand layer (guaguang, 2002) (Wang et al, 2006).

Peshawa Jaf
Geohazard

Causes of dust-sandstorm in China
1- Natural factors are causes dust-sandstorm for example lacks of plant life and
vegetation that cover ground surface with continues strong wind in the area and
insufficient precipitation (Wang et al, 2004). North and North West of China are
considered to be area of low vegetation covers and annual precipitation is less below
30 mm (Gengsheng, 2001). About 35% of dust-sandstorm occurs in North West of
China due to lack of vegetation in this area (Wang et al, 2004) with strong wind or
cyclone activities (Qian et al, 2004). Additionally, 85% of total land area in China of
arid and semiarid climatic zone classification (Yang et al, 2001, cited in Wang et al,
2006).
2- Human factors are the other cause of desertification by unsustainable land
management, exhausted cultivated field and salinized irrigated land (United Nation
Environmental Program, 2005) and also mine tailing that contain 43% of fine sand or
dust (Gengsheng, 2001). In China about 85 % of soil degraded caused by
intensification of soil cultivation, overstocking and overgrazing. And about 15% is
caused by road and urban construction (Zhu et al, 1989, cited in Wang et al, 2006).
Source of dust-sandstorm in China
In china the majority of dust-sandstorm originated from three geographical areas; (Tarim
Basin) is considered to be the maximum frequency of dust-sandstorm (Wang et al, 2004).
However, according to location of 135 stations in which dust-sandstorm observed Qian et al
(2004) divided the originated dust-sandstorm in to fife areas.
1- The Taklimakan Desert (Tarim Basin)
Peshawa Jaf
Geohazard

2- The Xinjiang region
3- The Tsaidam Basin
4- The Gobi Desert
5- The Ordos Desert
6- Northern north of China

Type of dust-sandstorm in China
1- Dust-sandstorm: generally of strong and turbulent wind with visibility of less than 1
km (Guoguang, 2002).
2- Strong Sandstorm: occur under condition of wind speed of 20 m/s and visibility is
less than 200m.
3- Very strong sandstorm (black wind): occur when wind speed is 25 m/s and Visibility
is 50m (Longjun, 2001).
Frequency of dust-sandstorm in China
During the last decades by the effect of global climate change (warm winter and dry spring)
(Longjun, 2001) the intensity and frequency of major dust-sandstorm have greatly
increased. For example, between 2000 -2002 more than 50 events occurred however about
5 events in 1950, 14 events in 1970 and 20 events in 1990 are recorded (Wang et al, 2006).
Impact of dust-sandstorm
1- It causes impact on the environment for example, erosion of carbon and nitrogen in
soil in farm land, about 20% of total land in China is affected by dust-sandstorm
erosion of soil (Wang et al, 2006) thus it caused increasing of desertification. In
Peshawa Jaf
Geohazard

addition it cause to atmospheric pollution and impacted to ecological environment
(Gengsheng, et al, 2001).
2- Dust-sandstorm could cause a lot of social impacts for example, it could cause
injured and death of human (United Nation Environmental Program, 2005).
According to research done by (Meng and Zhang, 2006) fine partial dust may cause
oxidative damage in lunge, heart and livers.
3- Dust-sandstorm can cause several economical impact for example, it causes damage
of crop, close airport, destroy electrical facilities. About $6.5 billion cause damaged
each year by effect of desertification (Longjun, 2001). In China estimated that 24000
villages, 1400 km of railway lines, 30000 km of highways, and 50000 km of canal and
water ways are subject to constant threats of desertification (Yang et al, 2001).
Method decreasing impact dust-sandstorm
The ability of human to control weather is very limited thus improve ecology is the key
approach to decrease intensity and frequency of dust-sandstorm (Gengsheng, et al, 2001).
1- Developing of ecological barriers and effective land management solution for
example belting forest shelter and afforestation (Goudie, 2008) (Gengsheng et al,
2001).
2- Use straw of wheat, rice, or reed as checkerboard and it is useful in stabilising dunes
in China (United Nation Environmental Program, 2005).
3- In North China they use wire fencing system in densely population area to protect
rangeland and pasture land.
Peshawa Jaf
Geohazard

4- Same chemical waste martial used to capture further movement of drifting sand and
mobile dune. In China plastic mulching are using and in Iran they use waste oil
(United Nation Environmental Program, 2005).
5- Other approaches are discussed in this issue for example, policy reform of land
using, water use efficiency.

May 5
th
1993 dust-sand storm
This storm is an example of dust-sandstorm hazardous and a disaster in China. The
source was from North Taklimakan Desert (Xinjiang region). Depend on surveillance and
exploration prepared by the expert group of ministry of forestry. About 85 people died
and 31 people were lost and 264 people were injured. The most hurt was in agriculture
and animals husbandry; 373,000 ha of crop were destroyed, damage on 16,300 ha of
fruit tree and caused to die of 120,000 head animal. Sand accumulation caused buried of
more than 1000 km of irrigation channels, about $70 million was cost of the all damage
(Gengsheng, et al, 2001).
Conclusion
Ability of human to control weather is very limited thus the approaches point is to
decrease the density and frequency of dust-sandstorm. Some solution might be useful to
decrease dust-sandstorm for example: Policy reform in using agricultural land, using
surface and groundwater efficiently, developing ecological barriers for cultivated land
and using wire fencing system with straw of wheat or reed to fix sand movement in high
population area.
Peshawa Jaf
Geohazard

Bibliography
Gengsheng, Y., Xiao Honglang and Tuo Wanquan (2001) Black Windstorm in North West
China: A case study of the strong Sand-Dust storm on May 5
th
1993. In: Youlin Yang,
Victor Squires and Lu Qi, eds. Global Alarm: Dust and Sandstorms from the Worlds
Drylands, Bangkok, pp. 49-73.
Gengsheng Yang, Xiao Honglang and Tuo Wanquan (2001) Mitigating the Effects of
Disastrous Sand-Dust Storms: A Chinese Perspective, Youlin Yang, Victor Squires and
Lu Qi, eds. Global Alarm: Dust and Sandstorms from the Worlds Drylands, Bangkok,
pp. 285-318.
Goudie Andrew S. (2009) Dust storm: Recent development, Journal of Environmental
Management, vol. 90 pp. 89-94.
Guoguang Zheng (2002), Dust storm; An Extreme Climate Event in China, China Metrological
Administration, Beijing.
Longiun Ci (2001) Disasters of Strong Sandstorms over Large Area and the Spread of
Land Desertification in China,. In: Youlin Yang, Victor Squires and Lu Qi, eds. Global
Alarm: Dust and Sandstorms from the Worlds Drylands, Bangkok, pp. 215-226.
Qian Weihong, Xu Tang, Linsheng Quan (2004), Regional Characteristics of dust storm in
China, Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 38 pp. 4895-4907.

Peshawa Jaf
Geohazard

United Nation Environmental Program (2005) what is Dust storm. Environmental
Emergencies News, Issue 4 pp.1-4
Wang Xunming, Zhibao Dong, Jiawu Zhang, Lichao Liu (2004), Modern dust storm in china:
an overview, Journal of Arid Environment, vol. 58 pp. 559-547.
Wang Xiaobin, O. Oenema, W.B. Hoogmoed, U.D. Perdok, Dianxiong Cai (2006), Dust storm
Erosion and its impact on soil carbon and nitrogen losses in northern China, CATENA,
Vol. 66 pp. 221-227.
Yang Youlin, Victor Squires and Lu Qi (2001) Global Alarm: Dust and Sandstorms from the
Worlds Drylands, Bangkok.