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January 21, 2026 - Deadly Sandstorm Strikes Libya
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Howling winds kicked up a severe sandstorm swept over eastern and southern Libya on January 20, 2026, knocking down trees and causing unhealthy conditions across the region. Up to fifteen people had been injured and one person had died n the vicious storm, according to various media reports. Libya Review reported that “the Benghazi Security Directorate issued an urgent appeal for residents to remain indoors and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary. Authorities stressed that driving conditions are extremely dangerous due to strong winds, dust, and limited visibility, calling on citizens to follow safety instructions to prevent injuries and further losses.”
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the widespread and dangerous sandstorm on January 20. At the time the image was captured, the densest portion of camel-colored dust and sand hung over the Mediterranean Sea and Libyan coast, totally obscuring the ground beneath it. The city of Benghazi, located along the Mediterranean coast in the east, was completely shrouded by both cloud and extremely thick dust.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 1/20/2026
Resolutions:
1km (702.8 KB), 500m (1.9 MB), 250m (2.7 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Howling winds kicked up a severe sandstorm swept over eastern and southern Libya on January 20, 2026, knocking down trees and causing unhealthy conditions across the region. Up to fifteen people had been injured and one person had died n the vicious storm, according to various media reports. Libya Review reported that “the Benghazi Security Directorate issued an urgent appeal for residents to remain indoors and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary. Authorities stressed that driving conditions are extremely dangerous due to strong winds, dust, and limited visibility, calling on citizens to follow safety instructions to prevent injuries and further losses.”
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the widespread and dangerous sandstorm on January 20. At the time the image was captured, the densest portion of camel-colored dust and sand hung over the Mediterranean Sea and Libyan coast, totally obscuring the ground beneath it. The city of Benghazi, located along the Mediterranean coast in the east, was completely shrouded by both cloud and extremely thick dust.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 1/20/2026
Resolutions:
1km (702.8 KB), 500m (1.9 MB), 250m (2.7 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
