World · Latin America · 19 hrs ago
Piauí man stays seated as a strong dust whirl passes
José Borges, known as Zezé, stayed seated as a dust whirl passed him in Piauí, Brazil.
His nephew filmed the scene on October 11, and the video drew more than a million views.
Borges said he thought the wind might carry him if he stood up, so he covered his eyes and waited.
Dust whirls are common in the area during dry periods, when loose dust is available to be lifted from the ground.
This one was stronger than usual and blew the lid off a neighbour’s water tank.
Officials warned that windblown dust and debris can injure people, including their eyes, and that older people may find it harder to move away quickly.
After the wind passed, Borges got up and washed the sand from his body.
José Borges, an 80-year-old known as Zezé, stayed seated as a strong dust whirl passed him in Piauí.
His nephew, dentist Diobson Gonçalves, recorded the scene on October 11.
Borges had gone outside after lunch to enjoy a breeze and ease the heat.
He later said he feared the wind would carry him if he stood up.
The video had received more than 1 million views, with Estadão reporting 1.3 million.
- Who
- José Borges, an 80-year-old known as Zezé, and his family.
- What
- Borges stayed seated as a strong dust whirl passed him. His nephew recorded the scene.
- When
- October 11, after lunch.
- Where
- Piauí, Brazil. The specific town is not stated.
- Why
- Borges went outside to enjoy a breeze and ease the heat. He said he stayed seated because he thought the wind might carry him if he stood up.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gonçalves recorded Borges sitting outside after lunch as a dust whirl passed.
The dust whirl began.
Borges got up and took a shower to remove sand from his body.
- Age
- 80
- Name
- José Borges, known as Zezé
- Recording date
- October 11
- Videographer
- Diobson Gonçalves, his nephew
- Video views
- More than 1 million; Estadão reported 1.3 million
- Location
- Piauí, Brazil
3 sources
What people are saying
I had no choice, I just covered my eyes and let it happen. I ran to the bathroom to take a shower.
He said that if he stood up, the wind would carry him. So he just put his hand over his nose and accepted it.
It is that wind circulating in the shape of a funnel. It moves along, carrying sand and anything else, like leaves. And it happens right at ground level.
The soil is very exposed, there is a lot of dust. So any small vortex creates this visual effect.