23 june 2014 p.19
Sandystorm
Ahuge sandstorm and record winds killed at least four people in Tehran on june 2,plunging lran's capitial into darkness during rush hour and forcing thousands to run for cover.
The freak weather struck at 5:10 pm,knocking down trees and sweeping debris across streets and into the windscreens of cars as people headed home from work.
Wild Weather
State meadia reported 110 kilometee per hour winds at the peak of the storm. Power was knocked out in at least 50,000 homes, officials said the also smashed windows and caused telecommunication towers to topple and masonry to fall off buildings.
Forecasters on state television initially warned prople in Tehran to stay indoor,shortly before the ISNA news agency reported that the fatalities had been caused by falling trees.
Fatal Gales
Amin saberinia, lran's chief emergency official,announced the deaths and said that at least 27 people were injured ,10 of them in a road accident when the gloom seddenly descended. State television later reported that two of those injured in the storm were in critical condition .
"This is like an apocalyptic Hollywood movie," a woman said as she ran into a shop in capital's central business district to escape the gales shortly after the storm hit.
City officials said that almost 7,000 emergency workers were deployed within an hour of the storm hitting .