Massive sandstorm blankets Hotan, western China

Massive sandstorm blankets Hotan, western China

A massive sandstorm blanketed the city of Hotan in western China on Sunday, June 28, 2020. According to the South China Morning Post, the visibility was reduced to 50 m (164 feet), and residents suffered breathing difficulties. The storm began at around 08:50 UTC…

Massive sandstorm engulfs Baicheng city, China

Massive sandstorm engulfs Baicheng city, China

A massive sandstorm blanketed the city of Baicheng in Jilin Province, Northeast China, on April 3, 2020. The phenomenon is locally known as a "black storm". Waves of dust were swept up by gale-force winds of 63 to 74 km/h (39 to 46 mph). In one footage, a…

Massive sandstorm engulfs Golmud, Qinghai province, China

Massive sandstorm engulfs Golmud, Qinghai province, China

A ferocious sandstorm engulfed the city of Golmud in China' Qinghai province on July 25, 2018, causing zero visibility. The sandstorm was accompanied by 75 km/h (46 mph) winds that brought down trees and caused traffic chaos. The police was forced to use…

Major sandstorm sweeps through northwest China

Major sandstorm sweeps through northwest China

A major sandstorm has swept through parts of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on May 1, 2016, and continued into May 2, disrupting traffic and causing severe air pollution. The sandstorm has struck some counties in south Xinjiang since Saturday…

Gobi desert sand and dust storms plague East Asia

Gobi desert sand and dust storms plague East Asia

Fire and Earth blog brings this satellite photo report of massive sandstorms over Gobi desert spreading all over east Asia and Japan. This true-color image of North China Plain, Shandong Peninsula and the Bo Haitaken was taken by MODIS on NASA’s Terra…