Sandstorm in China affects 10,000 people, 5,000 evacuated

The historic city of Dunhuang in western China was hit by a severe sandstorm. The city's visibility dropped to zero and was directly affected by more than 10,000 tourists, and more than 5,000 were evacuated to safe areas.

The sandstorm in Dunhuang, a key point on the historic Silk Road, shocked everyone. Although such phenomena are common in the dry climate of the Gobi Desert, it had never been this severe. The storm, which struck suddenly around Mount Mingsha and Yuya Lake, blanketed the entire sky in dust with winds reaching 120 kilometres per hour.

The sandstorm began at 6:00 p.m. local time yesterday, creating an emergency as thousands of tourists were in open areas. Visitors quickly sought shelter in buses or nearby buildings. Authorities cancelled all activities, postponed planned concerts, and suspended ticket sales.

142 emergency rescue vehicles transported more than 5,200 tourists to the city centre on more than 80 flights. Many people unable to leave the area were temporarily housed in Chinese administrative buildings.

Experts explained that the sandstorm was caused by the sudden, intense sunshine heating the ground, which lifted dry soil into the air by rising hot air currents.

Dunhuang, famous for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mogao Grottoes, is one of China's cultural and tourist centres. However, warnings have been issued that such extreme weather events could pose a threat to the safety of visitors and historic buildings alike.

Chinese authorities have announced that they will reassess the area after the weather improves, review early warning systems, and strengthen security measures.