Dust Storm That Swept Through Iraq Causes Some People to Develop Respiratory Problems

A health ministry spokesman recently reported that dozens of people admitted to a hospital had developed respiratory problems after a dust storm swept through the country, a France 24 report specified.

The storm occurred in the north of the country on Thursday, leading to the cancellation of flights that serve Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region.

As the storm hit south, it shrouded Baghdad and cities as far as Nasifiyah in a ghostly orange. AFP journalists reported that vehicles and buildings were covered in ochre-colored dust in the capital. The said storm has resulted in dozens of hospital admissions throughout Iraq because of respiratory problems.

A Threat to Social, Economic Disaster

Amer al-Jabri, the director of the meteorological office of Iraq, said, while dust storms were not unusual in Iraq, they are turning more frequent "because of drought, desertification and declining rainfall."

Iraq is particularly susceptible to climate change, having already witnessed record low rainfall and high temperatures in recent years. Experts have claimed these factors threaten social and economic disaster in the war-scarred nation, as Phys.org specified in a similar report.

In November, the World Bank issued a warning that Iraq could experience a 20-percent decline in water resources by 2050 because of climate change.

Effect of Density of Dust

A severe dust storm that swept Iraq and the Kurdistan Region caused five deaths in Salahaddin province's Tuz Khurmatu and hundreds of hospital admissions in Erbil and Sulaimani.

According to the assistant director of Khurmatu hospital, five civilians died of dust in Kurmatu, and others suffered from the strain being treated because of the density of dust.

In Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, over 200 civilians were confined at the emergency the hospitals after they suffered from breathing problems that occurred from the dust storm, the health directorate of Erbil specified in a statement.,

Meanwhile, according to a Rudaw report, 45 people were confined at a hospital in Sulaimani, the health directorate said. Abdulrahim also said that the five casualties are among 21 individuals who had been taken to the hospital caused to a dust storm.

The Kurdistan Region and Iraq skies were blanketed by a thick dust layer late this week, resulting in damaged breathing, reduced visibility, and making driving a challenge.

Climate Change

Abdulrahim described the condition as an unusual occurrence and urged the public not to leave their house for much work and wear masks each time they came out.

Ninety cases of breathing difficulties in Kirkuk were recorded with people confined at the city's hospital. A month ago, over 1000 people were admitted to the hospital because of breathing difficulties in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad after a heavy dust storm that engulfed the city.

Climate change is the main factor in the increased frequency of dust waves. Based on statistics recorded by the General Meteorological Authority, the number of dusty days rose to 272 from 243 days each year over the past 20 years and is expected to reach 300 dusty days every year in 2050.

Essentially, Iraq is the fifth-most susceptible country globally to the impacts of climate change, with increasing temperature and shortage of water that pose a serious threat to the country.

A report about the effect of the recent sand storm is shown on AP Archive's YouTube video below:

Check out more news and information on Climate Change in Science Times.