A sandstorm stopped sea vessel movement at Jeddah Islamic Port on Sunday after high winds whipped up sand and dust and reduced visibility to a mere 100 meters. Port authorities said Sunday afternoon that all incoming and outgoing shipping would be suspended until “dust-laden winds dropped”, while the Border Guard appealed to all sea-going vessels to proceed with extreme caution and advised anyone in port to remain there following reports of high winds and waves of up to two meters. Police and emergency authorities in Jeddah were also put on alert to respond to traffic accidents. An official at King Abdul Aziz Hospital said that some cases involving asthma and chest complaints had been admitted as a result of the high levels of dust in the atmosphere. King Abdul Aziz International Airport, however, said that flights had not been affected by the weather. “All flights have been running on schedule,” an airport official said late Sunday afternoon.
