Sandstorm turns Beijing skies orange

China's capital has woken up to orange-tinted skies as the strongest sandstorm so far this year hit the country's north, delaying some flights at Beijing's airport and prompting a dust warning for Seoul.

Yesterday, the sky glowed and a thin dusting of sand covered Beijing, causing workers to muffle their faces in Tiananmen Square.

Air quality is "very bad for the health", China's national weather bureau said, advising people to cover their mouths when outside and keep doors and windows closed.

The latest sandstorm also affected the regions of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia and the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Hebei.

As the sandstorm moved southeast, South Korea's national weather agency issued a yellow dust advisory for Seoul and other parts of the country.