Bad weather forces Kuwait airport to shut down temporarily

Manama: Kuwait International Airport has been temporarily shut down to traffic due to bad weather, an airport official said.

"All incoming and outbound flights have been suspended and planes have been diverted to nearby airports," Esam Al Zamel, the head of operations, said.

"All departing planes have been grounded until the weather conditions improve," he said, quoted by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

Several ministries and offices have told their employees to go or stay at home until conditions got better after visibility was reduced to less than 50 metres.

Last week, a massive sandstorm has forced the authorities to shut down the airport for hours. Four people are believed to have died during the sandstorm, likened by Kuwaitis to a desert tsunami.