Australia's biggest city was shrouded in an eerie blanket of red dust on Wednesday as bushfires, earthquakes, wild winds and massive hail stones caused havoc in the country. (AFP/Graphic)
Posted on 09/22/2009 6:37:22 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SYDNEY (AFP) – Australia's biggest city was shrouded in an eerie blanket of red dust on Wednesday as bushfires, earthquakes, wild winds and massive hail stones caused havoc in the country.
Sydney's cars and buildings turned orange as strong winds blew desert dust across the city, snarling commuter and air transport and prompting a warning for children and the elderly to stay indoors.
Residents wore face masks and covered their mouths with scarves as they travelled to work under red skies, while long delays were expected at Sydney airport after several international flights were diverted.
Elsewhere in New South Wales, hail stones "the size of cricket balls" smashed windows as thunderstorms and gale-force winds lashed the state late on Tuesday.
"We've had reports of cars with both their front and rear windscreens smashed," an official from the State Emergency Service said.
Further north, Queensland imposed fire bans across large parts of the state a day after a dozen bush blazes sprung up following a spell of unusually hot, dry weather.
Victoria state was on alert for flash floods as heavy rains fell, following a pair of minor earthquakes late on Tuesday. The 3.0- and 2.6-magnitude tremors did not cause any damage, officials said.
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Australia's biggest city was shrouded in an eerie blanket of red dust on Wednesday as bushfires, earthquakes, wild winds and massive hail stones caused havoc in the country. (AFP/Graphic)
An enhanced colour satellite image shows the dust storm covering over eastern Australia in this handout picture dated September 23, 2009. An outback dust storm swept across eastern Australia and blanketed Sydney on Wednesday, disrupting transport and placing health authorities on alert for widespread respiratory illness. REUTERS/Bureau of Meteorology/Handout (AUSTRALIA SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT DISASTER)
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A man takes a picture of the Sydney Opera House as a dust storm blankets the city September 23, 2009. An outback dust storm swept across eastern Australia and blanketed Sydney on Wednesday, disrupting transport and placing health authorities on alert for widespread respiratory illness. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne (AUSTRALIA SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT DISASTER)
Now thats a pic I did not know would come from there
Uh, Norm, what’s the size of a cricket ball?
On the serious side, I am saddened to learn of this horrific situation. It must be distressing in the extreme for folks in Australia.
Just slightly smaller than a standard baseball (a cricket ball has a circumference of 9 inches versus that of a baseball at 9.25 inches).
I don't think it's from this dust storm.
Exaggeration. the ones shown on TV news were no bigger than billiard balls.
Quoting Wikipedia:
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In men's cricket the ball must weigh between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces (155.9 and 163 g) and measure between 8 13/16 and 9 in (22.4 and 22.9 cm) in circumference.
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