RIYADH, 25 April 2006 — A severe sandstorm that blasted the capital yesterday shut down the Gitex Computer and Information Technology show soon after it opened on its second day, eyewitnesses told Arab News.

The Riyadh Exhibition Center, located in an open area in Olaya district, faced the full brunt of the storm for more than an hour. At least one stall collapsed, while exhibits were hurled to the ground.

As the wind and sand raged, security personnel at the site struggled to force visitors from the building. The people pushed back to remain inside while others from outside fought their way to get in. Finally, the organizers had to call it a day.

Elsewhere in the capital, visibility had been greatly reduced and motorists were driving cautiously causing traffic jams along the city’s main arteries. Several trees were uprooted blocking roads in many parts of the city.

Arab News tried to reach Gitex management for comments, but no one was on hand to take the call. With one day lost, it could be a blow to the exhibitors, many of whom had come from abroad.

More than 600 companies from 15 countries were participating in the show, which was inaugurated by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed Jameel Mulla on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of visitors were expected to attend the fair, billed as the largest retail event in the Middle East offering the latest in the world of computer technology.

The fair organizers had made arrangements for a series of workshops and conferences by information technology professionals from around the world. These events had to be called off in the wake of the sandstorm.

Saudi Arabia accounts for 40 percent of the total sales of computers and IT applications in the region, worth some $4.6 billion.