A gigantic sand storm crosses several cities in Arizona and Colorado, southwest of the United States earlier this week. The impressive images on the ground as from the sky show a wall of dust that advances in the country.
“We see nothing beyond three houses”
It is the first great storm of the year in this region. However, accustomed to this type of phenomenon, the affected inhabitants were largely surprised by the XXL sand wall.
“It is probably the worst sand storm I could see,” said an American on social networks, filming the state of his street. “We see nothing beyond these three houses.”
The weather phenomenon began its trajectory further north last weekend, in Nevada. At the Burning Man Music Festival, an unmissable meeting that is known to be in the middle of a desert, the site plunged into chaos.
70,000 people were trapped by the sand. The bursts of up to 80 km/h have won the camps of the festival and have launched an artistic installation of eight tons. Four people were slightly injured.
Paralyzed airport, thousands of households without electricity
The storm, commonly called “Haboob” in the region in reference to the Arab name of similar sand storms in North Africa and the Middle East, partially paralyzed Arizona. The city of Phoenix, larger in the state, seems to be wrapped under a dust monster.
Strong thunderstorms, heavy rains and important winding gusts accompany the phenomenon. As a result, on the roads, motorists were trapped, without any visibility. Almost 60,000 houses have also been deprived of electricity.
As for air traffic, it was completely cut. At Phoenix airport, airplanes are stuck to the ground, other flights were confused with neighboring states. The airport infrastructure has also been damaged: a roof of a terminal was, for example, torn by the wind.
The weather agency has launched several alerts for violent thunderstorms, sandstorm, but also due to flooding in certain regions, especially on the border between Colorado and Arizona.
Source: BFM TV
