Beijing recovers from dusty weather

    BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Holidaymakers in the Chinese capital will embrace a clear sky as of Tuesday after wind dispersed the dust that choked the city at the beginning of the week-long May Day holiday.

    Air quality in Beijing hit "hazardous" levels on Monday after a haze of dust from southeast of Beijing hovered over the city from Sunday afternoon, said the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau.

    It rated the air quality as level five, the highest on the bureau's classification system, when the city normally issues warnings to elderly people and children to stay indoors and avoid strenuous activities.

    However, the air quality turned better Tuesday as moderate gale blew away the dust and other floating particulates, according to the Beijing Meteorological Bureau.

    Experts with the Beijing environmental protection bureau forecast that Beijing air would gradually turn clear in the next few days, providing a friendly environment to travelers.

    The dust storm is the 13th to hit Beijing this year, but only the first to come from the southeast as the others all came from the northwest, according to Zhao Yue, deputy director with the bureau, blaming continuous dry weather in North China

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