Beijing Says Its Air Quality Has Improved But This Video Suggests Otherwise [VIDEO]

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A 12 seconds-long video shows what appears to be heavy, toxic smog descending on buildings with darkness prevailing and nearby structures becoming almost unnoticeable. Chas Pope, a Briton who made the video that was uploaded on Monday, said in the clip's description that the air quality index exceeded 400 - a level rated as "hazardous" by the United States air quality index.

Pollution alerts are common in northern China, especially in the late fall and winter when the demand for energy is high, thus making residents burn coal to heat their homes.

During the holiday, Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed and highways closed across northern China as the average concentrations of small breathable particles known as PM2.5 rose above 500 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing and surrounding regions.

Beijing, which has been covered in smog for some time now, was on the orange smog alert, the second highest warning level on Tuesday, with the PM2.5 rising above 500 micrograms per cu m. But the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau told state media that the overall air quality has improved and the PM2.5 concentrations dropped 9.9 percent to an average of 73 micrograms per cubic meter in the nation's capital in 2016.

The bureau added that the total number of "blue sky days" reached 198 in 2016 - up to 12 from 2015. However, the average PM2.5 measure still exceeded national air quality standards by 109 percent, according to Time.

China has taken active steps in recent years to reduce the burning of fossil fuels which contribute to the smog. Beijing also reduced total coal consumption from 23 million tonnes in 2013, to below 10 million in 2016.

The city also closed 335 polluting factories and ordered 424,000 old, high-emitting vehicles off the streets last year, according to Xinhua, the state news agency. But the efforts have been made futile by factors such as weather patterns, vehicle exhaust and the geographic position of the city which is close to mountains.

Maritime safety agencies said that three major northern ports suspended the loading of ships on Tuesday due to poor visibility. This is the country's third year in a "war on pollution" aimed at reversing the damage caused to its skies, soil and water, according to Reuters.

It has created emergency response systems to control traffic and shut down factories and construction sites during heavy smog periods and has also vowed to punish local officials and enterprises that break rules.

Xinhua said the smog in Beijing is expected to persist until a cold front arrives next week.