Dense fog in China disrupts highway, air travel

BEIJING, Dec 12 (Reuters) Heavy fog blanketed Beijing, Shanghai and other parts of north and east-central China for a second day today, worsening air pollution in the capital and disrupting air and highway travel across the region.

The Binhai international airport in the coastal city Tianjin, about 130 kilometres from Beijing, was closed as were parts of eight highways after fog covered the area beginning late on Monday, the Xinhua news agency said.

''This is the heaviest and longest-lasting fog that has affected Tianjin's airports this winter,'' it quoted an official at the Binhai international airport as saying.

Visibility was reduced to less than 50 metres in central Tianjin and at the airport, the agency said, adding that more than 40 flights had been delayed.

In Beijing, 16 flights were delayed and nine cancelled due to low visibility at Beijing Capital International Airport, it added.

Fog stretched across northern Hebei province, the northeastern province of Liaoning and the central province of Henan, causing traffic jams in the area and forcing authorities to shut down parts of major highway, Xinhua said.

Residents in Shanghai also reported fog had greatly restricted visibility, but flights there were not affected.

Beijing's pollution index reached ''hazardous'' levels on Tuesday, with Monday's level just one notch below, making it the most polluted day so far this month, the Xinhua report said, citing the Beijing Environmental Protection Monitoring Centre.

The centre had advised people to limit outdoor activity as much as possible and asked factories to reduce emissions, according to Xinhua.

The fog in Tianjin was expected to ease slightly later in the day, the agency said.

REUTERS SHB VV1530