HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong residents Tuesday enjoyed a respite from the choking smog which has blighted the territory in the past two weeks, but pollution levels remained close to dangerous levels.

Despite the closure of many factories in the neighboring Pearl River Delta during a week-long holiday, the southern Chinese city has been bedeviled by a murk that has obscured its famous skyline.
The Air Pollution Index has been regularly above the critical 100 mark, the point at which those with respiratory or heart problems are urged to stay home, reaching a weekend peak of 144.
But residents woke up Tuesday to sunshine and much-clearer skies, although the index was still at 99 in the downtown area, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.
The airborne particles were trapped here by Typhoon Krosa, which left at least five people dead in Taiwan and more than one million evacuated in China's southeastern coast, the Observatory said.
""Whenever there is a typhoon or tropical cyclone near Taiwan, there is less wind in Hong Kong so the particles cannot be blown away,"" said Sandy Song from the Observatory.
The appalling smog in previous days was caused by a large presence of ozone, a pollutant that can inhibit the lungs and irritate the respiratory system, the Environmental Protection Department said.
The blanket of pollution has become an almost daily hazard, despite measures by Hong Kong authorities to cut pollution. Business groups warn it is deterring investment and tourism and making expatriates think twice about coming here.
Environmentalists say emission reduction targets are too low, and air pollution figures are not telling the real story because the danger limits are set much higher than those of the World Health Organization.