In Pictures: Sandstorm Brings Riyadh To A Standstill

Riyadh sandstorm

Yesterday at around noon local time an enormous dust cloud covered the Saudi capital Riyadh.

In under ten minutes visibility went from miles to meters as the sandstorm took hold plunging the city into darkness.

All domestic and international flights to and from Riyadh were cancelled and low visibility was an issue across the entire affected Gulf region.

In Kuwait, oil exports were suspended for two hours because of the storm as sea traffic was halted.

Riyadh is regularly subjected to sandstorms but this one has been described as a “monster”

The Saudi Meteorological Department said: “Sandstorms are due to high pressure in the northern and central parts of the Kingdom”

“This whips up the sand and then the wind can blow it for a hundred miles or more. Tuesday’s storm passed in a few hours and temperatures in the north and centre of the country have now dropped, with the wind blowing the storm away to the north”

Posted on March 11, 2009 | Filed Under Travel