Strong sandstorms are continuing to batter the Kingdom, disrupting flights, government services, schools, and universities and causing respiratory problems among residents and citizens. The choking, blinding airborne dust has sent hundreds of people to hospitals in various parts of the Kingdom. Hussein Al-Qahtani, spokesman of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME), said the PME issued 12 warnings Monday about the possibility of more sandstorms. He warned people to be careful outdoors. Al-Qahtani said it was difficult for the PME to accurately predict the weather because spring was around the corner. Further surface winds are expected to raise dust and reduce visibility in the Eastern Province, some parts of Riyadh, Najran, Makkah and Madina, he added. Ghazi Al-Bishri, director of the Civil Status in Makkah region, said very few members of the public were seeking government services. There were also reports of other government agencies dealing with a small number of service seekers. Col. Zaid Al-Hamzi, spokesman of Jeddah Traffic Administration, said there were no traffic accidents caused by low visibility. Many Jeddah residents sought refuge from the dust at amusement parks on Monday. Dr. Shareh Al-Bugami, spokesman of King Abdulaziz University, said students were asked not to attend classes as a precautionary measure. School classes remained suspended in Jeddah, Asir, Al-Baha, Taif, Madina and the Eastern Province. Khalid Al-Khaibari, spokesman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, said the sandstorms disrupted some flights for two hours at five airports across the country. Some laborers were found working during the sandstorms, despite the danger to their health. Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Nahari, spokesman of Jeddah Mayoralty, said the mayoralty cannot tell these workers not to work because they work for a company with which the mayoralty has not signed a contract. There was some disruption of services at the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Al-Aziziya District in Jeddah. The hospital's emergency unit only had 15 beds and nurses had to use couches in the waiting room as beds. Sources said over 543 people came to the hospital in one day. A total of 425 were treated while the others were placed under observation.
