THIS is the terrifying moment a dense, towering sandstorm cloud swallowed a city’s skyline in mere seconds.
Frightening footage showed freak weather roll over the streets of Xinjiang, China .
Freak weather rolled over the streets of Xinjiang, China Credit: SWNS
Shocking images showed buildings and streets shrouded in smoke Credit: SWNS
A thick cloud of dust and sand formed a massive wall that engulfed the entire city, with buildings disappearing one by one by the oncoming haze.
Video taken on April 17 showed the powerful sandstorm rapidly approaching the urban area.
Buildings in the distance were gradually swallowed by the thick haze, with visibility dropping dramatically.
According to the local meteorological bureau, wind speeds during the event had reached up to 25.2 meters per second.
Intense conditions aided the rapid spread of the sandstorm.
Authorities reportedly warned citizens not to go outside.
Horrified onlookers took pictures and videos of the sandstorm as it covered their homes.
Shocking images showed buildings and streets shrouded in smoke.
Separate dashcam footage showed a driver passing through the duststorm.
The enormous size of the storm becomes more visible as the vehicle approaches.
After entering the sandstorm, visibility is completely reduced as dust fills the road.
What causes a sandstorm?
The sun heats the ground intensely – in desert regions, the ground gets very hot during the day, warming the air just above it.
The rising hot air creates a difference in air pressure, which causes strong winds to rush in to fill the gap.
If the soil is dry and loose, the powerful winds begin to pick up tiny grains of sand and fine dust.
These particles are carried at high speeds, often flying close to the ground but sometimes lifted high into the air.
Thick clouds of sand can block out sunlight and reduce visibility to almost nothing.
Sandstorms can sweep across entire cities or cross into neighbouring countries, depending on the strength of the wind.
When the winds weaken, the sand and dust slowly settle back to the ground, leaving a coating of grit everywhere.
In the video, the driver manages to reach an area where visibility slowly begins to return.
It comes after a hit the town of Dunhuang, in the west of the country, on May 3, 2025.
A was seen descending over the region trapping helpless tourists inside the strong winds.
The severe dust storm whipped up at around 6pm local time around the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Yueya Spring Scenic Spot.
Hundreds of were seen in the nightmarish scene, with some sitting on the floor and lines of others walking up a steep hill.
The harrowing weather phenomenon sparked a city-wide amber emergency.
All public and tourist activities were binned for the day, including an open-air concert.
And just earlier this monthof Crete.
The dramatic storm grounded flights and battered the coast with violent winds, even unleashing a .
Pine trees were uprooted, greenhouses damaged and factories collapsed in the chaos.
Officials said visibility dropped to around 1,000 metres, a level considered unsafe for aircraft landings, sparking delays and operational disruption.
To the relief of holidaymakers, the wild weather eased over the Easter weekend.
A thick cloud of dust and sand formed a massive wall Credit: SWNS
Buildings disappeared one by one by the oncoming haze Credit: SWNS
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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