Another dust storm hits Australia

CANBERRA, Sept. 26 -- A second dust storm in a week originating from South Australia has progressed to northern New South Wales on Saturday.

Visibility in Sydney was reduced to 5,000 meters on Saturday, compared to 500 meters on Wednesday, when thick red dust blanketed the city, Sydney Morning Herald reported.

An area of dust particles swept up in the storm measured up to 200km wide, Jane Golding, forecaster with Bureau of Meteorology in Sydney, was quoted as saying.

The storm front reached Armidale at about 3 p.m. on Saturday, and cleared the town half an hour later. It would continue to reach Brisbane and Lord Howe Island.

As it continued its journey north, the storm front was slowing down, Golding said, adding that "The further away from the source it gets, it loses a bit of dust."

Some of the dust has been swept out to sea.

The storm front passed through central western NSW late on Friday, and reached Sydney in the early hours of Saturday morning.