Sand and dust storm sweeps across southern Peru
The storm in Ica forced traffic to a halt on highways and disrupted tourism activities for three hours.
The effects of the unusual weather event were also felt in the regions of Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna -- which borders Chile -- where winds reached up to 32 kilometers an hour.
Similarly strong winds were also recorded in the capital Lima, causing some trees to fall.
"This event was caused by the South Pacific anticyclone, which has intensified and is currently very close to the continent, generating high-speed downdrafts at the surface," Rosario Julca of the national weather service told Canal N television.
"An anticyclone is a clockwise circulation in the Pacific Ocean that, when it nears the continent, increases wind speeds," she added.
According to Julca, the presence of such "downdrafts, combined with the desert terrain, has generated a sudden and massive dust uprising."
The weather agency said the "increase in wind speed, ranging from moderate to strong intensity," is expected to continue along the Peruvian coast through Sunday.
The National Emergency Operations Center said that local authorities are assessing the damage.
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France 24
01-08-2025
- France 24
Sand and dust storm sweeps across southern Peru
Peru's national weather service said wind gusts reached up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) per hour in the Ica region, about 400 kilometers south of Lima. The storm in Ica forced traffic to a halt on highways and disrupted tourism activities for three hours. The effects of the unusual weather event were also felt in the regions of Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna -- which borders Chile -- where winds reached up to 32 kilometers an hour. Similarly strong winds were also recorded in the capital Lima, causing some trees to fall. "This event was caused by the South Pacific anticyclone, which has intensified and is currently very close to the continent, generating high-speed downdrafts at the surface," Rosario Julca of the national weather service told Canal N television. "An anticyclone is a clockwise circulation in the Pacific Ocean that, when it nears the continent, increases wind speeds," she added. According to Julca, the presence of such "downdrafts, combined with the desert terrain, has generated a sudden and massive dust uprising." The weather agency said the "increase in wind speed, ranging from moderate to strong intensity," is expected to continue along the Peruvian coast through Sunday. The National Emergency Operations Center said that local authorities are assessing the damage.
France 24
19-07-2025
- France 24
Hong Kong axes flights, classes as Typhoon Wipha nears
Wipha was located around 280 kilometres (175 miles) southeast of Hong Kong as of midnight (1600 GMT), according to Hong Kong's weather observatory. The observatory has hoisted the T8 warning signal, meaning that "winds with mean speeds of 63 kilometres per hour or more are expected". The storm was expected to keep intensifying, moving across the northern part of the South China Sea and edging closer to the coast of China's Guangdong province. "There will be frequent heavy squally showers and thunderstorms over the region. Seas will be high with swells," the observatory added. China's Hainan and Guangdong provinces were also put on high alert, state news agency Xinhua reported Saturday. More than 250 flights servicing Hong Kong had been cancelled as of late Saturday, according to the website of the city's international airport. Hong Kong's Airport Authority asked travellers to prepare for "significant flight cancellations or delays" and said that no passenger flights are expected to depart the city before Sunday noon. Authorities suspended Sunday's classes at all day schools and daycare centres. Bus services are expected to be halted until midday Sunday.
France 24
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- France 24
Tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, leaving 34 dead
The vessel was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it capsized in the UNESCO World Heritage site because of sudden heavy rain, the VNExpress news site said. Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, it said. "Border guards rescued 11 people and recovered 34 bodies," it added. Rescue efforts were set to continue into the night to find the eight still missing. Ha Long Bay office worker Tran Trong Hung told AFP the storm started in the afternoon. "The sky turned dark at around 2 pm (0700 GMT)," he said. There were "hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning", he said. One of the rescued, a 10-year-old boy, told state media outlet VietnamNet: "I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived, then swam up. I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers." Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent his condolences to the families of the deceased and called on the defense and public security ministries to conduct urgent search and rescue. Authorities would "investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations", a statement on the government website said. Torrential rain also lashed northern Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces on Saturday. In the capital about 175 kilometres (110 miles) away, several trees were knocked down by strong winds. The storm followed three days of intense heat, with the mercury hitting 37 degrees Celsius in some areas. Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, was quoted in VNExpress as saying that the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not caused by the influence of Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, with millions of people visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year. Last year, 30 vessels sank at boat lock areas in coastal Quang Ninh province along Ha Long Bay after Typhoon Yagi brought strong wind and waves.
