The following dramatic photos and videos were shot on January 13, 2016, from Hoopstad as a massive and violent sandstorm swept across the Freestate in South Africa.
Sandstorms in the area are so legendary that it has its own Hoopstad Stofstorm Band! 🙂
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad.jpg)
Hoopstad (Tswelopele) lies between Bloemfontein and the North West Province.
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-1.jpg)
And after the sandstorm there was the much-welcomed rain.
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-2.jpg)
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-10.jpg)
El nino at its best?
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-3.jpg)
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-9.jpg)
The first video shows the power of this dust storm:
Although sandstorms are renowned in the area, South Africa has been experiencing radical and dramatic weather recently with a heatwave in several parts of the country.
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-4.jpg)
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-5.jpg)
Now you have to turn your monitor upside down:
A devastating drought fries most of the country. It was for example 42 degrees in this area – Bloemfontein – last week.
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-6.jpg)
![south africa sandstorm hoopstad, south africa sandstorm hoopstad pictures, south africa sandstorm hoopstad video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa, sandstorm hoopstad south africa photo, sandstorm hoopstad south africa video, sandstorm hoopstad south africa january 2016](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/south-africa-sandstorm-hoopstad-8.jpg)
OH my god, these sandstorms are so frightening!
[…] Here another recent apocalyptical sandstorm in South Africa. […]