Dramatic videos have surfaced online of a giant sandstorm ripping through China's northwestern region last week.
According to AccuWeather, the powerful dust storm roared to life on Wednesday over portions of the province Qinghai, located in northwest China. The videos show a sandstorm extending into the sky across a desert landscape, heading toward motorists caught in its path.
Take a look at the videos below:
CNN reported that the sandstorm lasted for about four hours. One of the hardest-hit locations was the Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The storm reportedly forced travel to come to a halt as residents and tourists alike sheltered in place.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported as a result of this sandstorm. According to a separate report by South China Morning Post, during the peak strength of the massive storm, visibility dropped below 200 meters in some towns of Qinghai province. It even blotted out the Sun.
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Meanwhile, China is also battling intense heat, like several other countries across the globe. As per AccuWeather, since mid-June, large sections of northern, eastern and central China have been experiencing high temperatures. Forecasters have also said that relief from the heat across parts of China is not expected in the upcoming days.
Extreme temperatures have also been seen in Europe this year. Heatwaves have caused wildfires to erupt in Spain, France, Greece and Italy. Separately, the United Nations have warned that heat waves will become more frequent and intense in the coming years.
