A number of social media activists captured video clips of a terrifying sandstorm that hit Dunhong City, Gansu Province (northwest China), on Sunday, rising more than 100 meters above sea level.

Local police imposed strict measures on motorists, telling them to stay away from highways until the storm passed.

Dunhong is famous for its harsh climate;

Due to its location in a desert area with difficult living conditions for the residents, local media reported.