The dust-storms have been not merely unintermittent, but of a frightful character, even for North China. Within the past two or three weeks they have taken the form of violent winds, each of which at sea would almost make a young typhoon. In the Hengshui district we hear that the roof of a theatrical pavilion was blown for miles, and that two children were blown away, one killed, and the other never heard of.
Source: wiktionary