Zero-visibility storm hits western China

A sandstorm has swept through areas in China's western province of Xinjiang, blanketing Hotan prefecture with an orange haze.

On Saturday, Hotan experienced very poor visibility, which in turn resulted in slow, heavy traffic on the streets as drivers inched their way forward with their headlights on.

The locals said they had not seen such strong winds in 10 to 15 years and some authorities expressed concern the storm might have affected agriculture in the region.

A spokesman for Hotan's meteorological observatory said the sandstorm would also lead to a temperature drop of 5 to 8 degrees Celsius.

Strong winds swept a fierce sandstorm into Xinjiang's Hotan prefecture on Friday, lowering visibility to zero in some areas.

The sandstorm is expected to reduce slightly in the coming days but will probably not die down until March 16.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120769§ionid=351020404.