Riyadh: Cities in the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia were lashed by heavy dust storms and torrential rain Saturday afternoon, forcing local authorities to close King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and the Dammam Port.
Warning sirens sounded for the first time in several years.
Civil defence authorities called on citizens and residents to be cautious and stay away from dangerous places.
According to a report by the Saudi meteorological office, the sandstorm reduced visibility to less than three kilometres in the Eastern Province, Riyadh, and the area between Qassim and Riyadh.
A sandstorm also hit neighbouring Bahrain, bringing traffic to a standstill in the afternoon. Manama airport remained open.
With inputs from Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief
