Sandstorm Hits Iraq, Over 1,800 Suffer Respiratory Issues

Beijing, April 15 (China News Service) — Baghdad: Iraqi health officials reported that more than 1,800 people were hospitalized with respiratory problems on the 14th due to a sandstorm sweeping through the country’s central and southern regions.

According to reports from AFP and the BBC, health authorities in Iraq’s southern Muthanna Province said local hospitals admitted at least 700 patients with breathing difficulties. Meanwhile, Najaf Province recorded over 250 hospitalizations.

In Diwaniyah Province, medical facilities treated at least 322 patients, including children, while Dhi Qar and Basra provinces saw more than 530 cases of respiratory distress.

The sandstorm reduced visibility to less than one kilometer across multiple southern provinces, prompting authorities to temporarily shut down airports in Najaf and Basra.

Local meteorological agencies predicted the dust would gradually dissipate by the morning of the 15th.

Iraq is ranked by the United Nations as one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change, frequently facing sandstorms, extreme summer heat, and water shortages. Experts warn that sandstorms are becoming increasingly frequent in Iraq due to climate change.

In 2022, a severe sandstorm in the country killed one person and left over 5,000 others in need of respiratory treatment. (End)

Fig. 1.  Dust Surface Concentration（μg/m3,Image:RSMC-ASDF BEIJING）

Source: Yangzhou Net - Yangzhou News