By Elizabeth Chuck
An intense (click here) and deadly sandstorm sweeping the Middle East is so large, it can be seen from space.
NASA on Tuesday shared an image of the swirling dust and sand, which has reduced visibility and caused health hazards in parts of Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Cyprus and Iraq. At least eight people have been killed, and hundreds have experienced respiratory problems, AFP reported.
The air is so dense, and visibility so low, it's even disrupted the fighting in war-torn Syria.
September 9, 2015
By Siraj Wahab
JEDDAH: A massive sandstorm (click here) that enveloped much of the Middle East on Tuesday sent Jeddah into total darkness at 6 p.m.
The storm lasted for 40 minutes with sand-laden winds so ferocious that one could hear the rattling of windows in many neighborhoods.
Abdul Hameed Abal-Ari, a senior official at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, told local media that flights were suspended briefly. “Incoming flights were diverted to nearby airports, while some departures were suspended.”
He said seven flights were diverted to Madinah, Yanbu and Taif. “By 7 p.m., things were back to normal,” he said.
“It all happened in a matter of minutes,” said Sadiya Haneef, a resident of Al-Sulaimaniya district. “I could see from my balcony a mushroom-like apparition on the horizon. I thought it was smoke billowing from a faraway district,” she said.
Soon it was clear to her that it was a sandstorm. “I had to literally struggle to close the door to my balcony. The gusty winds had sent everything into darkness,” she said....
