Desert dust storm chokes Sydney
A large stretch of Australia's east coast, including the largest city Sydney, has been shrouded in red dust blown in from the desert outback.
Visibility in Sydney was so bad that flights were diverted and harbour ferry traffic disrupted.
Landmarks such as the Opera House were obscured, and many residents took to wearing masks.
Emergency services reported a surge in calls from people with breathing problems.
The storm crippled the transportation system, with long delays to flights and bumper-to-bumper traffic on major roads.
Dust storms are common in the arid "red centre" of Australia, but they rarely reach the populated coastal regions.
Children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems were told to stay indoors until the dust had cleared later on Wednesday. It was blown out to sea and up the coast by the strong winds.
How the dust storm spread
