Caution urged as capital's pollen levels remain high

Videos showing large whirls of pollen being blown into the air from cypress trees in Beijing have sparked widespread discussion, with netizens commenting that the high pollen concentration has left people who have allergies worried.

In the capital's Temple of Heaven Park, where 33,000 cypress trees grow, strong winds have caused large amounts of yellow pollen to scatter like a sandstorm.

"Cypress pollen is produced by male plants for propagation and is very light. As the air is relatively dry and precipitation scarce this year, a gust of wind can easily carry away the pollen, which appears like wisps of smoke on a sunny day," Zhang Hui, a senior engineer from the park's landscaping department, told Beijing Radio and Television Station.