Southern Australia faces massive dust storm

A massive dust storm swept through parts of southern Australia on Wednesday, bathing them in a reddish haze and prompting health officials to warn asthma patients to take cover.

Health officials in Sydney warned residents to stay in indoors if possible, especially if they had asthma or heart and lung conditions.

“Avoid spending too much time outdoors due to the high particle levels and hazardous air quality,” the New South Wales Department of Heath Web site said.

The Ambulance Service of New South Wales said the dust storm had kept it busy with emergency calls.

“We have already seen an increase in calls to people suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems,” the agency said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the country’s meteorology bureau issued a severe weather warning of “widespread damaging winds” for Sydney and other areas.
The wind had pushed the dust storm out of many areas in Sydney by Wednesday afternoon.