debris storm
- noun
- /dɪˈbriː stɔrm/
:
tormenta de escombros
- After the earthquake, a debris storm filled the air, making it difficult for anyone nearby to breathe.
Examples
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Rescue workers struggled to see through the debris storm following the building's sudden collapse.
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The explosion caused a massive debris storm that blanketed the entire street.
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The debris storm created chaos in the streets.
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After the explosion, a massive debris storm engulfed the area.
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After the earthquake, a debris storm filled the air, making it difficult for anyone nearby to breathe.
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Rescue workers struggled to see through the debris storm following the building's sudden collapse.
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The explosion caused a massive debris storm that blanketed the entire street.
Synonyms
18
2.2
Strong wind that lifts dust and sand into the air and makes it hard to see
11
2.9
A visible cloud of fine dust hanging in the air
A sudden powerful rush of dust and pieces of a building after it collapses
How Intense
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a sudden cloud or spread of dust and debris' is directly derivable from combining 'debris' (waste/remains) with 'storm' (a sudden, violent event); the phrase denotes a storm composed of debris. The metaphorical use of 'storm' as 'a sudden, intense occurrence' (a 'storm of X') is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Debris storm makes a clear picture: broken pieces and dust (debris) flying everywhere like a sudden storm (storm) when a building or wall falls. So it now means 'a sudden cloud of dust and debris' after a collapse or explosion.