Apocalyptic Dust Storm Swallows Tehran, Iran

JERUSALEM, Israel -- An apocalyptic dust storm accompanied by gale-force winds engulfed Tehran late Monday afternoon, killing at least four people and injuring 30 others.

Winds gusting at 70 miles per hour leveled trees, left some 50,000 residences and businesses without power, and caused a 20-car pile-up on a stretch of highway south of the city.

"This is like an apocalyptic Hollywood movie. I'm scared," a woman said seconds after the storm hit, according to News.com.au.

The huge storm plunged the Iranian capital into darkness for several minutes, as air traffic controllers rushed to cancel incoming international flights to Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport.

Local traffic was diverted to an airport in the center of the country.

Iran's semi-official FARS news agency called the dust storm "unexpected and unprecented."