Sulaimanya, Riyadh - A thick storm of sand, crept into the center of Riyadh noon and turned the almost perfect blue skies into gold. The fine grain of the sand unavoidably found its way to openings and trapped itself into rooms forcing some offices to send their employees home early.

The thick cloud swept the streets instantly and turned the day virtually night. Traffic in the street turned to a halt and slowed down as the first rush decreased the visibility to a near meter. Headlights and fog lights were utilized to increase visibility and prevent road accidents.


Meanwhile some offices around the area ceased operation and sent employees early. Some employees I spoke to praised the initiative of some establishments to help lessen commuters during the rush hours. Face masks were distributed to people in the hospitals out of concern for patients, staffs as well as visitors.

Sand storms like this is common in a desert country. It can be a hazard to cause pulmonary problem as well as road traffic accidents when followed by rain.