A sandstorm paralyzes air traffic in eastern Libya

Weather of Arabia - A strong sandstorm blew from the Sahara Desert across eastern Libya on Monday, disrupting air traffic in the east of the country and leading to the closure of government offices and schools.

On Sunday evening, the authorities in the east declared Monday and Tuesday “official holidays due to bad weather conditions” in all public administrations, according to what was reported by the official Libyan News Agency.

Also, instructions were issued to place safety and law enforcement barriers on public roads, to regulate traffic and the movement of people in areas where visibility is poor.

A state of alert was declared in the city of Derna in eastern Libya, to prevent and protect the affected population who are still in a state of shock after the deadly floods that occurred in September 2023, leaving thousands of victims and missing people and causing the displacement of more than forty thousand people.

In addition, violent winds blew over the cities of Tobruk, Al-Bayda, and Ajdabiya in northeastern Libya, making visibility very poor and forcing people to stay in their homes.

As a precautionary measure, air traffic was suspended on Monday until further notice at all airports in the region, including Benina Airport in Benghazi, where a thick layer of sand covered the runway, according to pictures broadcast by local media.

The speed of sand-laden winds is expected to reach 60 or 70 kilometers per hour, according to local media as well.

Saleh Al-Amrouni, director of the airport, told Al-Masar satellite channel, “All flights to and from Benina Airport have been postponed due to lack of visibility and bad weather conditions.”

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