Can you imagine waking up in the morning and all you can see outside of your window is a thick, scary cloud of glowing redness? Some people are comparing the most recent (and worst) dust storm to hit Australia with Armageddon, as a cloud of redness has taken over the east coast. Millions of residents have been choking on the thick dust, which has been the worst in 70 years.
Sydney, Australia seems under attack by an eerie wave of orange that luckily did not cause any harm to inhabitants beyond emergency calls from people suffering difficulties breathing. Police sent out warnings for drivers taking to the road.
Coming in from the east, the dust clouds entered Australia, covering cities and towns in two states and was also accompanied by strong winds that ripped through topsoil , tossing it into the sky and carrying it hundred of miles from its origination.
The largest airport in the country was also affected by the change in weather due to poor visibility. International flights heading to Sydney were diverted to other destinations, even some coming from New Zealand. The unsafe flying conditions caused chaos in regards to domestic schedules. Airplanes weren’t the only methods of transportation that curbed their activities. Passenger ferries traveling along the infamous harbor ceased to move for several hours.
Clearing by the middle of the afternoon, the dust that invaded Sydney settled, but the dust was still on the move, making its way north to Queensland state capital of Brisbane. In Sydney, the thick dust is a rare occurrence, but what is stranger are the other weather conditions that has swept across the country during the rest of the week. Hailstorms hit parts of the country, while other areas experienced a mini-heat wave, as well as wildfires.
Some people reported that the red glow of the dusty conditions felt like Armageddon. Photos of the storm are creating a buzz because they picture the most severe storm of its kind since the 1940s. On satellite photos of Australia, the storms appear as large brown smudges. With their presence came some of the worst levels of particle pollution, causing residents to suffer health complications. People with heart disease, asthma, and lung diseases were told to stay indoors and keep their medication or inhalers close by. The health advisory was also extended to children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
During the morning commute, residents battled coughing and hacking, swiping grit out of their eyes. However, many came prepared , wearing masks or wrapping their faces, noses and mouths with scarves or cloths to keep out the dust.