High winds and sandstorms prompt Beijing to cancel hundreds of flights and close parks

High winds and the threat of sandstorms Saturday prompted Beijing to cancel hundreds of flights and close public parks, as massive gales felled hundreds of trees, crushing cars and damaging older homes across China’s capital.

Beijing’s two massive international airports, Beijing Capital and Daxing, canceled 693 flights by 2:00 p.m. with warnings of more violent weather on its way, especially in the country’s north and along coastal areas.

More flights and trains were canceled in other parts of China. Some parts of the country recorded their most powerful winds in more than 75 years, registering at up to 92 mph.

In Beijing, the Universal Studios theme park was closed at least through Sunday and historic sites such as Beijing’s Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven were closed. Football matches and other outdoor events have also been suspended.

High winds and sandstorms are generated in China’s dry north, where the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts sit surrounded by grasslands and, mountains and forests.

China has fought a decades-long battle to lessen the impact of sandstorms, especially in Beijing, which sits on the edge of an arid region and where such storms can reduce visibility to practically zero, send sand into buildings and clothing, and cause severe discomfort to the eyes, nose and ears.