China: Massive Sandstorm Engulfs Jiuquan City, Gansu Province

As parts of China continue to grapple with the aftermath of severe rainfall and typhoon, another natural phenomenon has citizens reeling: a sandstorm. A massive dust storm blew into Jiuquan in China’s Gansu province on July 25, engulfing tourists visiting the ancient Silk Road city. Dramatic footage of a sandstorm engulfing a city in northwestern China has left people on social media freaking out, with many comparing it to scenes from an apocalyptic movie. A heavy sandstorm with dust clouds towering at least 100 metres (330ft) high hit Dunhuang city in Gansu Province recently. Stunning videos show a huge wall of sand slowly swallowing high-rise buildings and highways, causing chaos and alarm, especially among commuters. When it struck around 3 pm, authorities issued a ‘yellow warning’ and local police sprung into action, helping direct traffic and ordering drivers to pull over until the storm had passed. China has a four-tier colour-coded weather warning system for sandstorms, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow, and blue. Watch the video to know more.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 27, 2021 04:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).