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IN PICS 'It's like Mars': Sahara sandstorm sweeps across Canary Islands

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IN PICS 'It's like Mars': Sahara sandstorm sweeps across Canary Islands
An image taken from a control tower on the Canary Islands. Photo: @J_Morillas / Twitter

Known as a Calima in Spanish, the weather phenomenon saw high winds brings sand from the Sahara desert sweep across the Canary Islands.

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Satelite footage shot by NASA shows the cloud of sand sweeping over the Canary Islands from the Sahara. 

And the forecast shows the phenonmenon is set to continue until Wednesday.

The dust cloud closed airspace over the Canary Islands and bathed eveything in an orange hue. 

This image was shot from the air traffic control tower at one of the airports on the archipelago. 

And here's some footage ofGran Canaria looking like a scene from Lawrence of Arabia but with a bicycle in place of a camel. 

The scene was repeated across the Canary Islands, from Gran Canaria to Tenerife to Lanzarote. 

 

 

And here's a shot of Las Canteras beach on the island of Las Palmas. 

 

Island authorities have declared a red alert and issued a list of recommendations which include closing doors and windows, drink lots of liquids and avoid exertion.  Those who suffer from respiratory problems are advised to stay indoors and drivers are told to be careful on the roads, use headlamps and cut speed as visibility is greatly reduced.  

 

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