Saudi Gazette

You must have seen a lot of sandstorms. Do you know how and why sandstorm happens?

A sandstorm happens when there is lots and lots of wind. It starts with huge clouds that carry the dust. These miles long, dust-carrying clouds have wind speed of 25 miles per hour. They are extremely quick. One moment they are not there, and just a minute later, you can see them. These storms generally occur in dry and hot regions especially in dry, flat regions, which means a lot of land that can be blown away. It occurs mostly in summer and sometimes in spring.

This storm can be really very quick and unsafe. It is for sure not a day to wash your clothes and hang them out to dry. A person, who is in the middle of a sand storm, will be completely covered in dust and debris. It causes traffic problem not just on the roads, but flights as well. It is due to the reason that getting a clear vision of the route becomes impossible.

This dust get in your eyes, ears and mouth, so better be careful. It causes sneezing and breathing problems. What can you do to be careful and safe in this sandstorm?

n Stay indoors. If it is not important you should not leave your home in order to minimize the bad effects of sand storm

n Make sure the windows are shut and sealed.

n Protect your eyes if you have to go outside. Eyeglasses provide protection, but airtight goggles are the best in this situation.

n Do not let anyone around you wear contact lenses because even a tiny speck of dust can cause irritation and vision problems.

n Do not rub your eyes even if you feel like doing it to avoid infection.

n Wear a mask to cover your nose. The particles raised by sandstorms are extremely unhealthy to breathe in without a mask.

n Drink a lot of water and keep hydrated.

n Do not panic. The dust will settle down and the cleaning process can start after that. Just stay safe!

Did you know?

n Dust clouds can reach more than 10,000 feet high

n Camels can close their nostrils and use a thin third eyelid to cover their eyes. This helps them to keep the dust out of them.

n Dust storms can really hurt or even kill people. It is the third most dangerous weather condition.

n They are also called ‘haboobs’ around the world, which comes from the Arabic word ‘hab’ meaning ‘wind.