Sandstorm hits Dakar, Senegal’s capital

A cloud of dust covering the city surprised the residents on Dakar on Friday.

Senegalese authorities warned of a “very poor air quality” in the city and the “high health risk”, especially for those suffering from respiratory diseases, children, and the elderly, and recommended people do not go out and avoid practicing sports and other activities outside.

The density of the dust floating over the Senegalese capital and other regions of the countrydo has seriously affected the visibility, the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM) and the Centre for Air Quality Management (CGQA) alerted.

Not just Dakar but other regions of Senegal were affected too by the dense layer of dust.

Authorities said the dust particles will gradually diminish from Saturday afternoon.

Each year, dry, dusty winds sweep in from the Sahara and cover much of West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. Sandstorms in June are not common though.