Beijing on high alert for strong winds

With gales, temperatures falling to 7 C, workers reinforce trees, infrastructure

As Beijing issued its first orange wind warning in nearly a decade, frontline workers and municipal departments are in a race against time to fortify the metropolis.

Beijing issued an orange alert for strong winds, the second-highest in the four-tier warning system, on Thursday morning. A sharp temperature drop is also expected to last through Sunday.

The rare weather, with extremely strong winds in mountainous regions of the capital, has triggered a massive emergency response with detailed planning and unwavering dedication.