TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK

DOHA RESIDENTS had their weekend spoilt as a severe dust storm forced them indoors on Friday. A severe dust storm struck Doha in the evening causing low visibility and traffic disruptions.

Roads of Doha and its adjoining areas remained completely covered in dust for more than two hours bringing the evening rush hour traffic in the city to a halt as almost zero visibility made driving next to impossible even with the headlights of vehicles on.

The dust storm, which hit the city suddenly around 6.00pm, was followed by rains and subsequent overflow of water on the Doha streets and people had a tough time negotiating the waterlogged roads in very low visibility.

“I had a harrowing time driving my car on the Salwa Road I couldn’t see beyond a few feet in the allenveloping darkness,” said an employee of a firm returning home.

“The dust storm hit the streets suddenly in the evening around 6 pm causing chaos on the roads. We had to stop our cars as it became impossible to drive. Traffic was at a standstill for sometime,” he said.

The strong dusty winds that the city experienced on Friday are expected to continue on Saturday, according to the Meteorology Department’s weather report.

The weather forecast for Saturday warns of poor visibility, strong wind and high sea offshore.

The forecast also said that the weather would be cloudy with a likelihood of rain and mild dusty conditions at places.

The bad weather, however, did not deter the denizens from keeping in touch with theirs families and friends on the social network sites.

“The sudden change of weather has certainly played a spoilsport for many on the weekend as many of the residents dropped plan for an evening outing,” said a Facebook message.

“It is very unusual to see deserted roads on a Friday. The residents have no alternative but to remain inside their houses. It is one of the severest dust storms that I have witnessed in the recent times,” said a resident of Al Mansoura area.