Sydney has been hit by the second dust storm in a week, triggering health warnings due to “hazardous” air quality in some areas, the state government said.
The storm blew across the greater Sydney region between 4 am and 5 am local time today, the New South Wales Department of Environment said.
Visibility was slightly reduced and a fine layer of dust, blown in by strong winds from the country's arid Outback, coated cars and windows before the air cleared.
Australia's most-populous city was hit by its biggest dust storm since the 1940s three days ago, shrouding landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House in a choking powder and forcing flight diversions and delays. Air pollution readings for the region on September 23rd were the highest ever recorded - 15,500 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter - and the state Health Department reported a spike in the number of people needing medical attention for breathing problems.
Today's storm caused readings of more than 200 micrograms, the "hazardous" level at which people with heart or lung disease and asthma are advised to avoid exercising outdoors.
The state Health Department yesterday issued a warning to people with asthma and respiratory conditions saying dust this weekend could return to the state.
The mid-week storm was more than 500km wide and 1,000km long and blew about 75,000 metric tons of dust an hour over the city, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Today's storm, swept in by westerly winds, was about 200km wide, the Australian Broadcasting reported.
High winds blew the dust cloud through parts of western and central New South Wales state and also to Queensland,
where visibility in the town of Cunnumulla was down to 500m, according to the ABC.
Bloomberg