Flights delayed as sandstorm hits Gulf

RIYADH: Flights were disrupted, ships weighed anchor and schools were closed Thursday as a major sandstorm blew through Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf states.
In the UAE, several flights were diverted and delayed, a Dubai Airports spokesperson said, as the skies over the city turned yellow.
King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam suspended the arrival and departure of all vessels from 1730 GMT on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Skies cleared on Thursday in Riyadh and workers cleaned debris from the storm.
Riyadh’s motorists slowed down as blowing sand reduced visibility for motorists and tossed garbage across highways.
Schools were closed in the capital and in the Eastern Province, around Dammam, on Thursday.