Freak sandstorm wreaks havoc

The freak eight-hour sandstorm that hit Riyadh on Wednesday night caused chaos on the city’s streets and the cancellation of all flights at King Khaled International Airport (KKIA).
The high-velocity winds and poor visibility saw hundreds of passengers stranded at the airport. All incoming flights were diverted to neighboring countries including Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, sources said.
On Wednesday night, a Riyadh-bound British Airways flight was diverted to Kuwait, while a Sri Lankan Airlines flight had to land in Doha due to inclement weather. Saudi Arabian Airlines flights to Hyderabad and Chennai were also canceled.
A Gulf Air flight that was flying from Manama to Riyadh returned to its point of departure due to poor visibility. Some airlines arranged hotel accommodation in Riyadh for their stranded passengers.
Arab News learned that pilots complained that they could not see the airport because of the severe sandstorm.
Askar Ahmed, who went to see family members off at KKIA, who were heading for Hyderabad, told Arab News on Thursday that passengers were still stranded at the airport.
Passengers of flight SV750 to Hyderabad have been stranded for more than 24 hours, according to a passenger, who said the airline has not supplied them with meals or water.
According to Faiz Al-Najdi, his daughter was to arrive at KKIA on a Gulf Air flight at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday. “Her flight has been rescheduled to land at 10:45 p.m. on Thursday.”
The Civil Defense has announced that there would continue to be strong surface winds, raising dust and dirt, which would reduce visibility to less than 1 km on highways and open spaces in Riyadh, Qassim and the Eastern Province.
This weather would affect Madinah, Makkah and Najran. Weather in the capital on Thursday was clear and the temperature at 26 degrees Celsius, but started dropping as the evening approached.
Hamid Moulana, an executive with a food company, said he was caught in the sandstorm as he headed home. “I could not recall such a ferocious sandstorm during my entire stay in the Kingdom. Streetlights were of no use since they looked like twinkling stars far above in the sky, partially covered by clouds.”
He said the government should consider reducing the length of the lampposts because this would provide more light on the roads, especially during poor weather. He said it took him double the usual time to get home.
Schools were closed in Riyadh and the Eastern Province due to bad weather on Thursday. This included Diriyah, Huraimalah, Thadeq, Reemah, Darmaa, and Muzzamiyah.
Spokesman for the Riyadh Traffic Department Col. Hasan Al-Hasan warned motorists to drive carefully because sandstorms are normally accompanied by fog, reducing visibility.
The Ministry of Health advised citizens and residents, especially those with asthma and chest infections to stay indoors. The ministry sent circulars to all the 20 regional directors of health in the Kingdom to ensure care for those with asthma, rhinitis, respiratory problems and eye infections.
A health official said that people must also wash their hands and faces when entering their homes. “Houses should be airtight to prevent dust from getting in. People should ensure blankets and mattresses are dust-free,” he said.