Taiwan is likely to be affected by a dust storm swept over from China as early as Tuesday afternoon, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) warned Monday. According to the EPA, sand particles in the air could reach 350 micrograms per cubic meter, which is five to six times the normal amount. However, with a cold front affecting Taiwan late Monday, showers were expected across the country, which could alleviate the effects of the pollution, the EPA said, adding that the extent of the impact will depend on the actual amount of rain, as well as the wind direction. Chu Yu-chi, director-general of the EPA's environmental monitoring and information management unit, said that since the weather tends to be unstable in the spring, the routes and durations of dust storms are difficult to predict. The EPA placed further information on the dust storm on its website at http://dust.epa.gov.tw/dust/zh-tw/b0301.aspx. 