Watch: Sand tornado and storm sweeps through parts of Northern Cape

A sand tornado and storm, caused by strong winds, swept through parts of the Northern Cape on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it looked like a scene out of a Mad Max movie.

LOCALS IN THE NORTHERN CAPE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THEM

Poffader and surroundings appeared hazy on Tuesday when a cloud of dust and sand engulfed parts of the region.

Several residents whipped out their cameras to capture the moment.

Although sandstorms may be unfamiliar to many South Africans, locals in the Northern Cape have become accustomed to them.

RESIDENTS WHIPPED OUT THEIR CAMERAS TO CAPTURE THE MOMENTS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj1jc1ZJmM0&ab_channel=WorldIsDangerous

The Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment warned that getting caught in a sandstorm could be harmful to your health.

HOW CAN A SAND STORM HARM MY HEALTH?

Relatively large particles of sand or dust usually remain in the nose, mouth or throat, and cause local irritation.

Smaller particles may be inhaled deeply into the lungs. Very small dust particles may enter the bloodstream and cause damage to blood vessels, as well as alter the coagulation pathway, cause structural and biological changes of the cells, leading to inflammatory response and increase the risk of heart failure and heart attacks.

Most of the time, particles of sand or dust during storms are large and not inhaled; however, some people, especially those with existing breathing-related problems, such as asthma and emphysema, may experience difficulties.

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WHAT IS A SAND STORM?

Dust or sand storms are natural events that usually occur when STRONG WINDS lift a large amount of sand, dust, dirt and other fine particles from bare and dry soil into the atmosphere, transporting them to sites hundreds to thousands of kilometres away.

Dust storms are MOST COMMON IN DRY SEASONS or arid regions with little vegetation cover, and their frequency may be increased after periods of drought. Human activities and global climate change have resulted in an increased frequency of dust/sand storms in various parts of the world.

The SA Weather Services could not on Wednesday evening confirm or provide more information on the sandstorm or sand tornado.

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