More than 3,700 people in Iraq have been treated for respiratory problems following a sandstorm that hit the central and southern parts of the country, according to a new report from the Health Ministry published on Tuesday.
Najaf, Basra, Nassiriya: On Monday evening, in these major southern cities, AFP photographers captured the halo of orange dust that invaded the streets, forcing police officers and passersby to don face masks to protect their lungs.
A paramedic in an ambulance in Najaf helped a young man breathe with an oxygen tank.
"Due to the storm, 3,747 cases of suffocation have been recorded since Monday. They were admitted to emergency rooms in Baghdad and other provinces," said Health Ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr.
In the south, the province of Basra recorded the highest number of cases - more than a thousand - followed by the regions of Mouthana (874) and Missane (628), he said, quoted by INA.
"Most of these cases have recovered and been discharged from hospital after receiving adequate care," Badr said.
The storm also forced Najaf and Basra airports to temporarily suspend flights on Monday, according to airport authorities.
While the phenomenon experienced a relative respite in 2023 and 2024, sandstorms, which usually occur in spring, have worsened in both number and intensity in recent years in Iraq, one of the five countries in the world most vulnerable to some of the effects of climate change and desertification.
In the past, the phenomenon has forced authorities to close schools and government offices. According to the Ministry of the Environment, the number of "dust days" is expected to increase over the next 25 years.
English 
French