Sahara desert dust adds to country’s pollution woes
Santo Domingo.- Airborne sand particles arriving in Dominican Republic from the Sahara desert in Africa will increase flu-like symptoms sharply in the next few days, CDN network meteorologist Jean Suriel forecast Sunday.
The Saharan dust, expected to affect the Caribbean until Wednesday, also stokes respiratory problems such as asthma.
Satellite images Wednesday show a large sandstorm heading west from Africa’s coast, with enough momentum to cross the Atlantic and reach the Caribbean.
The almost yearly sandstorms reduce the visibility of pilots when entering Dominican airspace, giving the sky a grey or reddish hue and raising the region’s surface temperatures.