"Disaster Movie-Like... Engulfed in an Instant" Mega Sandstorm Covers Suez Canal

Egypt Meteorological Agency Issues Mega Sandstorm Warning
Middle East Economy Suffers Annual 17 Trillion Won Loss from Sandstorms

A massive sandstorm covering an entire port near the Suez Canal in Egypt has drawn significant attention.

A sandstorm approaching, covering the coast.
[Image source=Twitter]

On the 4th (local time), local media including Egypt Today focused on the massive sandstorm that occurred on the 1st. At that time, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority warned citizens to stay indoors and avoid passing under objects such as billboards that might fall. They also recommended wearing masks if going outside was unavoidable.

Numerous videos capturing the approaching sandstorm were posted on social media platforms such as Twitter.

A sandstorm approaching, covering the coastline. [Image source=Twitter]

In particular, a video filmed at the Suez Canal in Egypt allows viewers to grasp the enormous scale of the sandstorm. A thick wall of sand as tall as a building covered the coast as it approached, while barges and port structures quickly disappeared into the storm.

This video became a major topic among global netizens, garnering hundreds of thousands of views after being posted. A related video posted by the UK’s Sky News surpassed 160,000 views in just two days.

On the 1st (local time), a sandstorm that struck Cairo, the capital of Egypt, caused a signboard to collapse, resulting in one death and five injuries. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Netizens expressed shock, saying, "I never imagined a sandstorm could be this huge," "If caught in it, you wouldn’t even be able to recover your bones," and "It feels like watching a disaster movie. I can’t believe this isn’t CGI."

In the Middle East, including Egypt, sandstorms typically occur annually between June and July, but this storm is reported to be unprecedented in scale. According to local media reports, hospitals began stockpiling oxygen tanks to treat respiratory patients, and countries along the storm’s path such as Iran and Kuwait had to suspend aircraft and ship operations.

Sandstorms also cause enormous damage to the Middle Eastern economy, as key ports and canals transporting vital energy resources come to a halt. According to the World Bank, the economic damage caused by sandstorms to Middle Eastern countries is estimated at $13 billion (approximately 17 trillion KRW) annually.