Sand and dust storm sweeps across southern Peru
LIMA : Strong winds from a South Pacific anticyclone triggered a massive sand and dust storm in southern Peru today, catching residents in coastal regions by surprise, authorities said.
Peru's national weather service said wind gusts reached up to 50kph in the Ica region, about 400km 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 32kph.
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 Monday.
The national emergency operations centre said that local authorities are assessing the damage.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Malaysia
9 hours ago
- Herald Malaysia
100 missing after flash flood hits Indian Himalayan town
At least four people died in the town of Dharali in Uttarakhand state, leaving it swamped by deep debris Aug 06, 2025 This handout photograph taken on Aug. 5 and released by Uttarakhand's State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) shows muddy water running past residential buildings after a cloudburst caused a massive mudslide in India's Uttarakhand state. (Photo: AFP) By AFP, Dehradun A flash flood driving a torrent of mud smashed into a town in India's Himalayan region on Aug. 5, killing at least four people with around 100 others missing. The roaring waters tore down a narrow mountain valley, demolishing buildings as the flood barrelled into the town of Dharali in Uttarakhand state. "It is a serious situation," Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency. "We have received information about four deaths and around 100 people missing. We pray for their safety." Videos broadcast on Indian media showed a terrifying surge of muddy water sweeping away multi-storey apartment blocks in the tourist region. Several people could be seen running before being engulfed by the dark waves of debris that uprooted entire buildings. Uttarakhand State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said rescue teams had been deployed "on a war footing." 'Wake-up call' India's army said 150 troops had reached the town, helping rescue around 20 people who had survived the wall of freezing sludge. "A massive mudslide struck Dharali... triggering a sudden flow of debris and water through the settlement," the army said. Images released by the army, taken from the site after the main torrent had passed, showed a river of slow-moving mud. A wide swath of the town was swamped by deep debris. In places, the mud lapped at the rooftops of houses. State Disaster Response Force commander Arpan Yaduvanshi said the mud was 50 feet (15 metres) deep in places, swamping some buildings entirely. "Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with all available resources being deployed to locate and evacuate any remaining stranded persons," army spokesman Suneel Bartwal said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a statement and said that "no stone is being left unturned in providing assistance." Chief Minister Dhami said the flood was caused by a sudden and intense "cloudburst," calling the destruction "extremely sad and distressing." The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert warning for the area, saying it had recorded "extremely heavy" rainfall of around 21 centimetres (eight inches) in isolated parts of Uttarakhand. Deadly floods and landslides are common during the monsoon season from June to September, but experts say climate change, coupled with urbanisation, is increasing their frequency and severity. The UN's World Meteorological Organization said last year that increasingly intense floods and droughts are a "distress signal" of what is to come as climate change makes the planet's water cycle ever more unpredictable. "The devastating loss... must be our final wake-up call," said climate activist Harjeet Singh, from the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation in New Delhi. "This tragedy is a deadly cocktail," he added. "Global warming is super-charging our monsoons with extreme rain, while on the ground, our own policies of cutting hills; unscientific, unsustainable, and reckless construction; and choking rivers for so-called 'development' are destroying our natural defences."--
The Sun
12 hours ago
- The Sun
Wildfire in southern France kills one, injures nine
LAGRASSE: A wildfire in southern France has left one woman dead and nine others injured, with flames consuming 11,000 hectares of land. The blaze, which began on Tuesday afternoon, has damaged or destroyed 25 homes in the Aude department, prompting a massive response from 1,500 firefighters. The Aude prefecture confirmed the fatality, stating the woman died in her home. Two civilians were injured, one critically with severe burns. Seven firefighters also sustained injuries, two requiring hospitalization, while one person remains missing. 'The fire is advancing in an area where all the conditions are ripe for it to progress. We are monitoring the edges and the back of the fire to prevent flare-ups,' said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture. She noted that aerial reinforcements would arrive at dawn but warned the operation could last days. Overnight, high humidity slowed the fire's spread. Authorities evacuated parts of a village and camping grounds, closing several roads. French President Emmanuel Macron pledged full national support, urging caution. The Aude department has faced worsening wildfires due to reduced rainfall and declining vineyards, which once acted as natural firebreaks. - AFP
Malay Mail
15 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Up to three-hour delays expected at Woodlands, Tuas checkpoints as Singapore flags National Day weekend traffic surge
SINGAPORE, Aug 6 — Travellers from Singapore who are heading to Malaysia over the upcoming National Day weekend should brace for heavy traffic and longer immigration clearance times at land checkpoints, Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said yesterday. From August 8 to 10 — coinciding with the National Day public holiday on Saturday, August 9 — congestion is expected at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. ICA urged travellers to check real-time traffic updates before starting their journey, Singapore-based CNA reported. For those who must travel during peak periods, ICA suggested using cross-border bus services to avoid lengthy jams. 'We seek travellers' understanding to cooperate with ICA officers, observe traffic rules and maintain lane discipline,' the authority said, warning it would take action against those who ignore instructions, CNA wrote. The advisory follows record-breaking traffic volumes in June. During the school holidays, an average of more than 525,000 travellers crossed daily via the two land checkpoints — nearly 10 per cent more than in the same period last year. On June 20, a new single-day high of 578,000 crossings was recorded, surpassing the previous peak of over 562,000 set last December, CNA noted. According to ICA, car travellers departing during peak hours in June faced waits of up to three hours for immigration clearance, largely due to traffic tailbacks from the Malaysian side. With the upcoming long weekend likely to draw similar or heavier traffic, ICA's advice is clear: plan ahead, consider alternative transport, and be prepared for delays.
