20 houses buried in Nimroz sandstorm

ZARANJ (PAN): A windstorm in Nimroz province buried 20 houses under sand on Saturday, officials said.

People in the area where the homes were buried had fled after the storm began at 5 am and there were no casualties, said Director of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Mohammad Akbar Sharifi.

The storm whipped up winds as fast as 100 kilometres per hour, damaging crops and uprooting plants.

Because visibility was reduced to 20-40 meters, planes could not land or fly in the area, said Hidayatullah Yaqubi, head of the Nimroz airport.

“The area is dark due to the windstorm and people can’t see their surroundings,” said a shopkeeper of the city, Gul Ahmad.

Shops in Zaranj city remained closed Saturday because people could not travel, and goods would be damaged if the shops were open, he said.

The windstorm could cause asthma attacks, allergies, flu and cold, said the doctor on duty in Zaranj hospital, Abdul Khalil.

He recommended that people cover their mouths and noses and use protective eyewear if they venture outside.

Seasonal winds are expected from late May through August, but this morning the winds escalated to a storm, Yaqubi said. Temperatures in the area hit 50 degrees Celsius today.

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