PHOENIX — Crews cleaned up downed trees and got electricity mostly restored for thousands of people Tuesday after a powerful dust storm roared through the Phoenix area.

The wall of dust towering hundreds of feet (meters) high dwarfed the city's neighborhoods. Called a haboob, the wind-driven phenomenon blackened skies and initially knocked out electricity for 55,000 customers late Monday afternoon.

Drenching rain followed. Flights came to a halt at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where material from a terminal roof blew onto the tarmac. Contractors worked through the night to repair roof damage, airport spokesperson Jon Brodsky said.

By Tuesday afternoon, things were mostly back to normal, with power largely restored and only minor flight delays reported.

But for residents in

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