Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - In the period from 24 to 29 May in Tashkent, an excess of the maximum permissible average daily concentration of dust in the atmospheric air by 2.7 times was recorded, Uzhydromet reported.

Over the past period, the city recorded an excess of the maximum permissible average daily concentrations (MPCs): for nitrogen dioxide by 1.3 times, hydrogen fluoride (HF) by 2.0 times, and for dust by 2.7 times. For other pollutants, no excess of sanitary standards was observed, Uzhydromet notes.

Uzhydromet underlined that for Uzbekistan, as well as for the entire territory of Central Asia, dust storms are a fairly frequent phenomenon. Most often they occur in arid regions - in desert and semi-desert zones.

In May 2021, several cases of dust storms were noted across the territory of Uzbekistan. Even in Tashkent on the evening of 29 May, a dust storm was observed, caused by a strong squally wind.

“Tashkent is not an arid region, but the rapid construction ongoing in recent years in Uzbekistan and in the city of Tashkent contributes to the formation of a large amount of sand and dust that rise into the air even with a not very strong wind,” Uzhydromet said.

At the meteorological station Kushrabad (Samarkand region) at about 15:18, a strong wind began from the north-west, reaching a speed of 20 m / s, as a result of which a sandstorm arose and stopped at about 16:20.