Powerful dust storm blankets almost all of South Korea

Almost all of South Korea was shrouded by a powerful yellow dust storm on Tuesday, local media reported.

Citing the Korea Meteorological Administration, Yonhap News Agency said almost all of the country is under the influence of high levels of yellow dust that originated in the Inner Mongolian region in northern China and the vicinity of the Gobi Desert over the weekend and was moving south by riding the northerly wind.

The storm forced the citizens across the country to confine to their homes and workplaces.

"In my daily life hit by COVID-19, walking through the park with my pet dog is an important vitality for me. But I gave up going out today because the yellow dust made my throat and eyes sore," Yonhap quoted a woman in her 40s in Incheon, west of the capital Seoul, as saying.

Last weekend, a heavy dust storm hit Mongolia before losing its velocity on Monday, leaving at least nine people dead and 12 others missing.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid