[AnNahar] At least four people were killed and dozens injured in Tehran on Monday when an unprecedented sandstorm and record winds hit the city, Iranian news agencies reported.
| Allah is clearly making his opinion known about recent Iranian choices. |
| I think locusts send a better signal... |
The freak weather also knocked out power in 50,000 homes, said an electricity official quoted on the ISNA agency.
According to Amin Saberinia, Iran's chief emergency official, the deaths were caused by falling trees.
He added that at least 27 people were maimed, 10 of them in a road accident south of the capital when gloom hit and drastically reduced visibility.
The sandstorm struck at 5:10 pm (1240 GMT), sending residents dashing for cover as debris swept across streets and snapped trees.
Iranian authorities warned Tuesday that a second sandstorm could hit Tehran, a day after freak weather killed five people in the capital.
Monday's huge sandstorm and record winds plunged Tehran into darkness for 15 minutes during rush hour and forced thousands to run for cover.
| Darkness was the last plague before the slaying of the first born sons, even if it isn't actual locusts... |
"One of the casualties, who was hospitalised after being hit by debris, lost his life due to the severe injuries," the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday, raising the corpse count to five.
The winds, as high as 110-120 kilometres per hour (70-80 miles per hour), levelled trees and swept other heavy material across streets and into the windscreens of cars as people headed home from work.
The news of the sandstorm and highest winds in 50 years hit the first page of capital's newspapers, along with criticism of forecasters for failing to predict or warn citizens of the approaching storm.
| Allah does as he wills, guys. Pay heed, lest he work harder to get your attention. |
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