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VIVA – A video circulating on social media showed of a massive sand tornado hitting the desert city of Taif in Saudi Arabia on Monday, shows the force of the storm was so dangerous, it ripped through a field. The video also showed the moment of hurricane swallowed all the stones and rocks in its path, which sparked a state of fear.
The spokesman for the National Center of Meteorology, Hussein Al-Qahtani, stated: “The observed weather phenomenon in Taif Governorate is classified as a tornado and does not recur permanently.”
“Their occurrence is often associated with severe thunderstorms, and they occur in a narrow range and for a limited time. The center has monitored the recurrence of this situation during the past years.” He added.
Moreover, the Kingdom’s National Center of Meteorology had issued a warning on Sunday about thunderstorms of varying intensity that were expected to hit most regions of Saudi Arabia over the next week.
According to the warning, heavy rains and thunderstorms, accompanied by sandstorms with winds exceeding 50kph, hail, and flash floods, were expected to hit provinces in the Kingdom this week.
The center also warned of potential for torrential rain, resulting in low visibility, and urged residents to stay updated on weather information through communication services and media channels while following instructions from concerned authorities.
