Sandstorm sweeps across Phoenix, Arizona

The American city of Phoenix was clouded by a huge sandstorm which swept in from the desert.

It is the third time this year that such an intense storm, called a haboob which is traditionally seen in the Sahara desert, has sprung up in the American South West.

The enormous brown clouds brought a halt to road and air traffic while the dust and dirt spread for miles over anything in its path.