Dust storms, strong gusts and at least two brush fires descended on New Mexico on Tuesday, snarling highway traffic, knocking out power and setting buildings ablaze. The National Weather Service pushed an emergency alert to cellphones that warned of zero-visibility conditions and adverse health consequences for infants and

Dry winds fueled dust storms that limited visibility to near zero on some roadways and raised the risk of fires breaking out in the region.

Chelsea Langer, the Acting Bureau Chief for the Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau at the New Mexico Department of Health, states that some of the harmful effects from inhaling dust can range from asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and also consist of respiratory responses such as nasal congestion.