A severe sandstorm swept through central and southern Iraq, leading to the closure of major airports and hospitalizing over 3,700 people due to respiratory problems, according to the health ministry.
Thick orange dust drastically reduced visibility to less than a kilometer in several areas. As a result, flight operations at Basra and Najaf airports were suspended until weather conditions stabilized.
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Health ministry spokesperson Saif al-Badr told the INA that 3,747 individuals sought medical treatment for breathing issues across Baghdad and other provinces. Baghdad alone recorded over 1,000 cases, while al-Muthanna province reported 874. Most patients have since been discharged, and there have been no reported deaths. Badr assured that there were no shortages of medicine, oxygen, or other medical supplies.
Photos by AFP showed people in Basra wearing masks while navigating nearly deserted streets, and some disabled individuals were seen being assisted across low-visibility roads.
While Iraq frequently experiences sandstorms, the environment ministry has warned that these events are becoming more common due to desertification and climate change. In 2022, a similarly strong storm resulted in one death and over 5,000 hospitalizations. Scientists emphasize that the increasing intensity and frequency of such storms pose serious risks to public health and infrastructure.
The United Nations has ranked Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country to the impacts of climate change.
