Australian city turns orange as dust storm sweeps through

The sky turned red and orange as a dust storm ripped through the city of Mildura in northwest Victoria on Thursday.

Powerful winds sweeping through southeastern Australia have coated a town in dust, giving the sky a dark orange hue. Residents said that dust storms are becoming more regular, making the area uninhabitable.

Videos and photographs show the darkened skies above Mildura, Victoria – the result of strong winds that reached 40kph (24mph) on Thursday. Temperatures were also recorded at a scorching 40°C (104°F).

Just another day in Mildura #Drought #windndust pic.twitter.com/8E8krcdFGg

— Jayson Butcher (@jayson_butcher) November 21, 2019

@australian today aus…mildura pic.twitter.com/1evIiHSCZb

— Game_over_guys (@Gameoverguys1) November 21, 2019

Australian media described the ‘apocalyptic-like scenes’ in the town.

There's been apocalyptic like scenes in the state's north-west with a dust storm sweeping through blanketing Mildura. @Brett_Mcleod #9News pic.twitter.com/TAkXpBA05h

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) November 21, 2019

“The sky is now deep orange. And the wind is harsh,” a local told AAP. “It is just atrocious. This dust, we have had it so often and it is becoming a norm for us.”

Residents said they were accustomed to one or two such storms a year, but that they were now experiencing them several times a week.