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| Australia dust storm: Health warning as skies change colour | Australia dust storm: Health warning as skies change colour |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A giant dust storm has blanketed communities across south-east Australia, turning skies orange and raising concerns about air quality. | |
| Authorities issued a public health alert for Sydney on Thursday as the 500km-wide (310 miles) dust band began to reach the city. | Authorities issued a public health alert for Sydney on Thursday as the 500km-wide (310 miles) dust band began to reach the city. |
| Many regions elsewhere in New South Wales (NSW) have had poor visibility. | Many regions elsewhere in New South Wales (NSW) have had poor visibility. |
| Authorities said the storm has been driven by strong winds picking up dry soil. | |
| The problem has been exacerbated by a drought that has affected the entire state of NSW since August, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. | The problem has been exacerbated by a drought that has affected the entire state of NSW since August, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. |
| Health officials have urged locals to stay indoors, particularly children, older people and those with respiratory problems. | Health officials have urged locals to stay indoors, particularly children, older people and those with respiratory problems. |
| One resident in Broken Hill, a town 1,100km west of Sydney, said the dust had lingered for hours on Wednesday. | One resident in Broken Hill, a town 1,100km west of Sydney, said the dust had lingered for hours on Wednesday. |
| "You walked outside and it was in your eyes and it was just a gritty feeling," Matt Whitlum told the BBC. | "You walked outside and it was in your eyes and it was just a gritty feeling," Matt Whitlum told the BBC. |
| "The winds were also so strong that you had to hold the car door open or it would just slam back into your face." | "The winds were also so strong that you had to hold the car door open or it would just slam back into your face." |
| Forecasters say it is not yet clear how severely the dust storm will affect Sydney. | Forecasters say it is not yet clear how severely the dust storm will affect Sydney. |
| However, it has already drawn comparisons to an intense dust storm which blanketed the city in 2009. | However, it has already drawn comparisons to an intense dust storm which blanketed the city in 2009. |
| That event left hundreds of people suffering from breathing difficulties, and forced the grounding of flights. | That event left hundreds of people suffering from breathing difficulties, and forced the grounding of flights. |