Dust Storm in Pakistan and Afghanistan
On July 4, 2003,Dust Storm in Pakistan and Afghanistan (top) and the rugged terrain of northwest Pakistan (bottom). The light tan color of the dust makes waves, swirls, ripples, and curves over the dark brown and gray terrain below. At bottom is the Arabian Sea. This image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite.
Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic Era, and the country’s strategic location along the Silk Road connected it to the cultures of the Middle East and other parts of Asia. The land has historically been home to various peoples and has witnessed numerous military campaigns. Therefore including those by Alexander the Great, Mauryas, Muslim Arabs, Mongols, Sikhs, British, Soviets, and by the United States with allied countries. The land also served as the source from which the Kushans, Hephthalites, Samanids, Saffarids, Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Khaljis, Mughals, Hotaks, Durranis, and others have risen to form major empires. Dust Storm in Pakistan and Afghanistan are very common during storm season. Also the amount of high winds and sand storming through the area causes major damage. Therefore the ripples and curves around the terrain.
