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Sandstorm in Egypt leaves at least five people dead

Egypt's capital Cairo and some of its port cities were hit by a severe sandstorm, with at least five people dead as strong winds and heavy dust forcing the closure of several ports.

Anadolu Agency MIDDLE EAST
Published January 17,2019
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A man covers his face during a sandstorm near the River Nile in Cairo. (Reuters Photo)

At least five people were killed in Egypt by a severe sandstorm that struck several parts of the country on Wednesday.

According to local media reports, one person was killed and two others injured when a building partially collapsed in the northeastern Port Said province.

Another four people reportedly lost their lives when a bus overturned in the northern Kafr al-Sheikh province.

The Egyptian authorities have suspended activity at four of the country's seaports due to inclement weather, while several roads in capital Cairo have been shut until further notice.

Egypt's official meteorological agency has predicted "several days" of heavy winds, which, it warned, may disrupt maritime navigation in the Mediterranean and Red Sea.