Several Dead As 'Freak' Sandstorm Blankets Tehran, Iran [PHOTOS]
A massive "freak" sandstorm has hit Tehran, Iran, bringing high winds and knocking out power in 50,000 homes, Agence France Presse reports.
At least three people have died and dozens more were injured in the storm, which arrived very suddenly on Monday.
Wind gusts reached 70 miles per hour, The Washington Post notes. There was little warning that the storm was coming, and it seemed to hit all at once - in one hour, the temperature dropped from 91 degrees to 66 degrees, and moderate breeze turned to violent winds.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration explains that these wind storms, or "haboobs," form "when air is forced down and pushed forward by the front of a traveling thunderstorm cell, [and] it drags with it dust and debris." The storms typically last from 10 to 30 minutes, and a dust wall that forms can reach up to 10,000 feet.
Some of the photos of the storm are insane:
And here's a video: