BEIRUT: A dense sandstorm engulfing parts of the Middle East left at least two people dead in Lebanon and hundreds suffering from respiratory problems on Tuesday, as officials warned residents to stay indoors.
Large parts of Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Cyprus were shrouded in a thick cloud of dust from the storm that began sweeping into the region on Monday.
The Lebanese health ministry said two women had died at hospitals in the Bekaa Valley region because of the storm.
"The number of cases of choking and shortness of breath caused by the sandstorm has risen to 750," the ministry said.
Police distributed face masks on city streets as authorities warned people suffering from health problems, the elderly and pregnant women to stay indoors.
The storm was felt particularly in Lebanon's dozens of informal camps where hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees live with limited shelter.
AFP
