A severe sandstorm struck New Valley province in east Egypt on Wednesday, March 28, engulfing the landscape in towering dust clouds, as seen in this video.

A state of emergency was temporarily issued on Wednesday in Sohag by Governer Ayman Abdel-Moneim but was lifted by the evening, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reported. Abdel-Moneim instructed all schools in Sohag to remain closed on Thursday, however.

The sandstorm moved to the Sinai region on Thursday, interfering with ballot counting in Egypt’s presidential election, according to Egypt Today. Voting took place between March 26 and March 28. Credit: Yousef Diab via Storyful