A Royal Jordanian plane flying from Amman to Aqaba was forced to turn back on Tuesday because of a sandstorm that had engulfed the port city, authorities said.
A statement by the Special Aqaba Economic Zone said “strong winds filled with dust and sand” preventing the plane from landing in Aqaba, and that people in the city, especially those with respiratory diseases, should “take precautions and avoid the wind as much as possible”.
Aqaba is Jordan's only major seaport. It contains a container terminal and has a terminal to ship phosphate, the kingdom's most valuable export.
The Port Authority said that the port has remained open despite the storm.
The Metrological Department said that horizontal visibility might be limited on Wednesday in desert areas surrounding Aqaba but that wind speed would be moderate, with a high of 39°C.