The Saudi Meteorological Center expected, on Tuesday, “dusty winds that reduce visibility” in the east of the country and in the capital, Riyadh. This was reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Similar conditions are expected in the west of the country, including the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Digital signage along the highways to Riyadh urge motorists to slow down due to poor visibility due to the storm. Cars and buildings in the city center are covered with sand. A reporter for Agence France-Presse stated that the famous Riyadh Towers are not visible from a few hundred meters away.
Sandstorms are more common in Saudi Arabia at this time of year. But in recent months it has become more frequent. Similar storms also ravaged neighboring Iraq† There have been eight sandstorms there since mid-April. In neighboring Iran, government offices, schools and universities were closed in several provinces on Tuesday due to the severe weather. The Saudi authorities have not yet announced specific measures to deal with the weather.
