The workers were invited to hurry at home, the courses were suspended and outdoor events were canceled while the Northern China Acquills for extreme winds this weekend.
Millions have been invited to stay inside, some state media warning that people weighing less than 50 kg (110 pounds) can be “easily blown away”.
Winds reaching 150 km / h (93 MPH) should sweep Beijing, Tianjin and other parts of the Hebei region from Friday to Sunday, while a cold vortex moves south-east of Mongolia.
For the first time in a decade, Beijing issued an orange alert for wind strokes – the second highest of a four -level meteorological alert system.
The strong winds that sweep from Mongolia are not uncommon, especially at that time of the year. But imminent winds should be stronger than anything that the region has seen for years.
Temperatures in Beijing should drop by 13 degrees Celsius within 24 hours, when the strongest winds hit on Saturday, authorities announced.
“This strong wind is extreme, long, affects a large area and is very disastrous,” said the Beijing meteorological service.
China measures the wind speed with a scale that goes from level 1 to 17. A level 11 wind, according to the China Meteorological Administration, can cause “serious damage”, while a level 12 wind brings “extreme destruction”.
Winds this weekend should go from level 11 to 13.
Several sporting events scheduled for the weekend have been suspended, including the first half-marathon of the humanoid robot in the world, which will now be held on April 19.
The tourist parks and attractions have been closed because the authorities told residents to avoid outdoor activities, while construction work and train services have been suspended.
Thousands of trees across the city have been reinforced or cut to prevent them from falling.
Officials have warned people to avoid entering the mountains and forests, where gusts should be particularly strong.
While residents are reduced, social media users find humor in their weekend plans put dissociated.
“This wind is so reasonable, it starts on Friday evening and ends on Sunday, without disturbing the work on Monday at all,” said a Weibo user.
Hashtags on strong winds and the warning that those weighing less than 50 kg could be swept away by Chinese social networks. A Weibo user joked: “I eat so much all the time, just for this day.”
Beijing also issued an alert for forest fires and prohibited people from starting fires outside.
The winds should start weakening on Sunday evening.
