By Bisola Adeyemo
A sandstorm engulfed Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday, causing poor visibility in the city.
Xinhua news agency reported that buildings and River Nile were seen shrouded in the sandstorm.
The state agency in charge of ports in the Red Sea region said it had ordered all vessels, regardless of size, to stay docked for their safety.
“We have closed the port to ensure the safety of staff, property, docks and shipping,” said Ahmed Buriqaa, a spokesman for Alexandria port.
“The sea conditions are unstable with waves ranging in height between 2.5 and 4.0 metres and a visibility of just 2 kilometres,” it said.
There were no immediate reports of death or injury caused by the weather, which was expected to clear by nightfall.
Dust storms are common in the Sinai desert during this time of the year. They are mostly created with the help of extremely strong winds produced by thunderstorms.
Recently, storms have wreaked havoc in the Egyptian city of Aswan Egypt’s climate is incredibly dry and arid.
About two-thirds of the country is covered by the Western Desert.
