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THIS is the spine-chilling moment a sandstorm engulfs more than 10,000 tourists – triggering mass evacuations out of a holiday hotspot.
Frightening footage showed the moment freak weather struck thousands of visitors at a historic landscape in China.
The terrifying sandstorm hit the town of Dunhuang, in the west of the country, on May 3.
A blood orange hue was seen descending over the region trapping helpless tourists inside the strong winds.
The severe dust storm whipped up at around 6pm local time around the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Yueya Spring Scenic Spot.
Hundreds of stranded tourists can be seen in the nightmarish scene, with some sitting on the floor and lines of others walking up a steep hill.
Horrified onlookers take pictures and videos of the sandstorm which appears to have reduced visibility significantly.
Separate footage showed the inside of a packed tourist bus taking visitors to safety – but without any visibility through the front window.
The driver can barely see a few metres in front of his car, before the vehicle stops ahead of another car flashing its headlights through the dust.
The Beaufort scale measured these powerful gusts at Force 12 as they tore through the city.
Ticket sales were suspended after authorities swiftly activated the emergency response.
The remote region is located on the edge of the Gobi Desert.
It is known for being one of the main stopping points on the ancient Silk Road trade route, which was used more than 2,000 years ago.
The harrowing weather phenomenon sparked a city-wide amber emergency.
All public and tourist activities were binned for the day, including an open-air concert.
Recovery workers spent three hours evacuating stranded tourists from the affected areas.
Deputy head of the city’s traffic team Zhao Li said: “Over 80 trips have been made, with 142 vehicles dispatched, ensuring that the more than 5,200 tourists safely returned to the city center.”
What causes a sandstorm?
by Harvey Geh
The sun heats the ground intensely – in desert regions, the ground gets very hot during the day, warming the air just above it.
The rising hot air creates a difference in air pressure, which causes strong winds to rush in to fill the gap.
If the soil is dry and loose, the powerful winds begin to pick up tiny grains of sand and fine dust.
These particles are carried at high speeds, often flying close to the ground but sometimes lifted high into the air.
Thick clouds of sand can block out sunlight and reduce visibility to almost nothing.
Sandstorms can sweep across entire cities or cross into neighbouring countries, depending on the strength of the wind.
When the winds weaken, the sand and dust slowly settle back to the ground, leaving a coating of grit everywhere.
The busses provided were free of charge to ensure all visitors were taken to a safe place as soon as possible.
Tourist Guo Beibei said: “The wind was so strong once we were on top of the dunes that we couldn’t even open our eyes.
“We all sat there hoping it would pass, but it just got worse.”
Holidaymakers who could not be evacuated were put up in visitor centres and city council buildings until the storm passed.
Weather reporter Wang Yan explained: “If tourists lose their bearings and walk the wrong way, they could end up deeper in the desert.”
