article_snippet.sent: Incredible satellite images have shown a massive sandstorm almost as large as the United States billowing across the Arabian Peninsula.
article_snippet.sent: a massive sandstorm wrecked havoc across the area last week, causing traffic accidents, the cancellation of hundreds of flights and triggering breathing difficulties among residents.
article_snippet.sent: Images show the vast sandstorm sweeping India way across Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates and reaching as far east as India and Pakistan over a period of seven days.
article_snippet.sent: On April 1, a massive sandstorm could be seen enveloping much of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
article_snippet.sent: The following day, a massive sandstorm pushed further east to cause flight cancellations in Dubai .
article_snippet.sent: By April 4, a massive sandstorm was beginning to stretch across the Arabia Sea towards Pakistan and India .
article_snippet.sent: A final image taken on April 7 shows much of a massive sandstorm had dispersed across the Arabia Sea while some remained over Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman .
article_snippet.sent: a massive sandstorm began on April 1, when high winds whipped up a massive sandstorm Saudi Arabia before a massive sandstorm consolidated and began moving southeastward across the peninsula to eventually cover an area almost as large as the United States, Discover Magazine reported.
article_snippet.sent: The Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies said: 'The blowing sand reduced surface visibility to near zero at some locations, disrupting ground transportation, air traffic, and also closing schools. '
article_snippet.sent: Despite sandstorms being a relatively common occurrence in that part of the world, they are not generally so big and rarely wreak so much havoc.
article_snippet.sent: In this instance, the storm also blew across Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter - the world's second largest desert which reaches into Yemen and Oman.
article_snippet.sent: Many people took to social media to upload the images Many people had taken of the sandstorm and share Many people experiences.
article_snippet.sent: the sandstorm swept across much of the Arabian Peninsula, seen here with borders illustrated by the blue lines.
article_snippet.sent: Pictured is Saudi Arabia (top left), Yemen (bottom), Oman (right) and the United Arab Emirates (top right) the storm also billowed across the Empty Quarter - the world's second largest desert which is located in Saudi Arabia.
article_snippet.sent: Here the storm is pictured by satellite, revealing the storm distinct sand dune patterns .
highlights_snippet.sent: Photographs taken by satellite show sandstorm hitting Arabian Peninsula .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: Massive dust cloud was believed to be almost as large as the U.S.
  Massive dust cloud billowed across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and as far east as India .