© AP
A couple observe a sandstorm that shrouds the capital city from an observation deck of the Cairo Tower in Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, June 27, 2015.
Egypt faced treacherous weather conditions Saturday as a sandstorm blanketed the north of the country and a magnitude-5.2 earthquake centered in the Sinai peninsula shook buildings more than 200 miles away in the capital, Cairo.
The epicenter of the quake was 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) southeast of the beachside town of Nuweiba in the Sinai, and about 75 kilometers (46 miles) south of Egypt's border with Israel, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Airports near Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh, along the Mediterranean coast, closed and diverted flights to Cairo due to poor visibility from the day's sandstorm, Civil Aviation Minister Hossam Kamel said in a statement. Visibility reached as low as 500 meters at the Burg al-Arab airport near Alexandria, he said.
Fierce winds whipped through the capital as many residents took cover from the sand by staying indoors. Others were seen braving the storm wearing surgical masks or covering their faces with clothing, as the wind sent rubbish and dust swirling.
At its peak, the sandstorm covered the capital in a thick orange cloud, dramatically reducing visibility.
Comment: These displays of strange plasma lights and clouds in the sky are becoming more and more common: