Red dust storm covers Sydney
Red dust storm covers Sydney
Sydney was covered in a cloud of red dust yesterday. Strong winds carried in tons of topsoil from the outback deserts.
Visibility was so bad that international flights were diverted and ferry traffic in the harbour was disrupted, reports the BBC. Traffic was said to be bumper-to-bumper on the city's major roads.
Holidaymakers renting
Sydney apartments would not have been able to get a clear view of the city's landmarks - buildings, including the Opera House were obscured by the dust cloud. Many residents and tourists were wearing face masks, while children and the elderly were advised to stay indoors.
Australia's ABC News reports that Sydney now has clean air but is still coated in a film of dust. After moving on from Sydney, the dust storm arrived in
Brisbane. Efforts to battle the region's bushfires were temporarily hampered as a result.
The strong winds are expected to ease slightly in the coming days. The dust is likely to linger for the coming hours, but should clear in the next day or so. However, it is thought that the cloud will move north, with dust expected all the way up to the tropics.
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