Watch: Dust storm blankets Abu Dhabi skyline

A video posted by the UAE’s weather bureau shows the moment a dust storm blanketed Abu Dhabi’s skyline. The 12-second time-lapse video shows how the storm sweeps over the Abu Dhabi Corniche, reducing visibility to a few hundred metres.

In its latest update, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has issued a code red alert for dust for many areas in the UAE. Code red means residents have to be “extremely vigilant” as “hazardous weather events of exceptional severity are forecast”. The alert is on till 10pm tonight.

The dust storm hit the western part of the UAE on Tuesday morning, bringing down visibility to less than 100 metres in some areas. Here is a scene from Al Dhafra:

The NCM said the storm would sweep over most regions of the country today.

Dusty weather conditions are expected to persist over the next few days, though its intensity will reduce gradually.

Countries in the Middle East have been hit by multiple sand storms, with flight operations in two Arab countries – Kuwait and Iraq – affected on Monday.

sahim@khaleejtimes.com

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