BAGHDAD, Iraq: A powerful sandstorm swept across central and southern Iraq this week, sending more than 3,700 people to hospitals with respiratory problems and forcing the closure of major airports in Basra and Najaf provinces, authorities said.
According to Iraq’s Ministry of Health, Basra was the worst-affected province where over 1,000 people were hospitalised with respiratory problems.
Ministry spokesperson Saif al-Badr said most of the patients were treated for breathing difficulties and dust inhalation.
“The majority of patients were treated for dust inhalation and respiratory distress,” Badr told the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Hospitals in Baghdad and other provinces also reported high numbers of cases. Baghdad recorded at least 1,014 admissions, while the southern province of al-Muthanna reported 874.
Meanwhile, flights at Basra and Najaf airports were also suspended during the storm, with operations only resuming after visibility improved.
The storm reduced visibility to less than one kilometre in several cities, covering them in a thick, orange haze and severely disrupting daily life.
Many residents in Basra took to the streets wearing face masks to guard against the choking dust, AFP reported.
Streets were largely deserted, with images showing wheelchair-bound individuals being helped across barely visible roadways.
Emergency responders and police officers were seen covering their faces with cloth to protect themselves while on duty.
The environment ministry has warned of a growing number of “dust days” in the coming decades due to desertification and the impacts of climate change.
Sandstorms are not uncommon in Iraq, particularly during the winter and early spring months, but experts say they are becoming more intense and frequent.
The United Nations has ranked Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country in the world to climate change, citing increasing temperatures, desertification, and declining water resources as key challenges.
A similar sandstorm in 2022 resulted in over 5,000 hospital admissions and one fatality. – Agencies
