Severe sandstorm hits Iraq, more than 1,800 people hospitalized

Iraqi officials said the sandstorm - the biggest this year - created a thick blanket of orange dust and severely reduced visibility, causing traffic disruptions. Two airports in the southern provinces of Najaf and Basra were forced to temporarily close as a safety precaution.

Muthanna province is one of the worst affected areas. Mazen al-Egeili, a local health official, said at least 700 people in the province were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties and severe respiratory symptoms.

In Najaf province, more than 250 patients have been treated. Meanwhile, in Diwaniyah province, health ministry spokesman Amer al-Kinani said at least 322 people, including children, have been taken to hospitals with symptoms related to the sandstorm.

Also according to reports from Dhi Qar and Basra provinces, more than 530 cases of respiratory problems have been recorded during this sandstorm.

The Iraqi Meteorological Agency said the sandstorm had reduced visibility to less than 1 km, posing a danger to traffic and daily life. However, weather forecasts showed the storm would gradually dissipate by the morning of April 15.
According to the United Nations, Iraq is one of the five countries most severely affected by climate change, regularly suffering from high temperatures and extreme weather events such as sandstorms.

In 2022, Iraq recorded more than 5,000 hospitalizations and one death due to a severe sandstorm. In light of the current situation, the Iraqi Ministry of Environment continues to warn that the country could face an increase in the number of “dust days” in the coming decades if timely and effective measures are not taken to respond to climate change.