Much of Spain covered with dust from the Sahara

Much of Spain woke up this Tuesday with orange skies and an unusual layer of dust from the North African Sahara desert, a phenomenon known as “calima” that covers fields, streets, cars, buildings and monuments in the capital, other cities and areas from the country.

According to the State Meteorological Agency, the wind these days favors the displacement of dust or sand particles in suspension, whose density can make visibility and breathing difficult, so the authorities recommend caution in outdoor activities.

In addition, the Celia storm, which affects the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, causes a “mud rain” in the most affected places, especially in central, eastern and southern Spain.

The Madrid City Council activated a special dust cleaning device on Tuesday, so services that use water to remove dirt will be increased to the maximum as soon as possible.

In the peninsular region of Andalusia (south), the closest to Africa, this exceptional episode of haze stains the Mediterranean coast with reddish tones and also affects parts of the interior, such as the province of Jaén. According to weather forecasts, it will last several days. (I)