At least 12 killed by monster sandstorm in the Mid-East; No deaths in Cyprus [VIDEOS]

Expats in the Middle East and Cyprus say the "horrific" thick cloud has swallowed the mountains and the sea, and made it difficult to see any distance ahead

A blanket of thick black dust has covered Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Cyprus killing at least eight people.

The choking air is causing respiratory problems and it is believed that more than a thousand have been hospitalised.

Drone footage shows the thick blanket of dust looming over the holiday paradise of Cyprus. [Video below]

The fog hit the Cyprus on Monday 7th September and quickly spread across both sides of the Cyprus island.

Syria's health ministry is advising people to "avoid prolonged exposure to the outdoors" and said hundreds of people had been treated for asthma and other respiratory problems.

Cyprus authorities issued the same advice.

A Meteorological Service official said the deadly dust plume has come from Syria and will swirl across the country at different concentrations.

They said: “A low pressure system from the Iraq area has resulted in bringing the dust from Syria to our region.”

Larnaca, Paphos and Ercan airports are monitoring the situation to see if they may need to ground flights which are currently going ahead as planned.

Mouin Hamzeh, Lebanon's governmental National Council for Scientific Research secretary general, said satellite images "clearly show that the sandstorm came from northern Iraq in the direction of central and northern Lebanon, north and east Syria, and southern Turkey".

He added the sandstorm was denser than usual and some people had taken to wearing masks to protect themselves.

Mum-of-one Nat Haigh, 36, said: "People are calling it horrific. We can usually see the mountains and the sea from our house but with the dust cloud neither are visible.

"It has a very eerie feel to the atmosphere and also there is no insect or bird noise."

The dust has created a mini heatwave with temperatures returning to 41C.

It was previously revealed that the island experienced it hottest ever Summer with the mercury hitting 57C. Schools have been shut in some places.

Watch videos below:
________________________________________
____________________
____________________

*Credit: www.mirror.co.uk | Daedalus