A sandstorm that blasted over central and southern Iraq has left over 1,000 individuals with respiratory issues, according to health experts. At least 700 cases of what they claimed to be suffocation were reported to the AFP news agency by one official in the province of Muthanna.
Online footage revealed places shrouded in a dense orange fog, while local media reported power outages and flight suspensions in many areas. Although dust storms are normal in Iraq, some scientists think climate change makes them more frequent.
According to AFP, paramedics were there to help anyone having trouble breathing, while police and pedestrians donned face masks to protect themselves from the dust. At least “700 cases of suffocation” were reported to hospitals in southern Iraq’s Muthanna region, according to a local health official.
At least 322 patients, including children, were evacuated to hospitals in Diwaniyah province, while over 250 individuals were sent to hospitals in Najaf province. In the provinces of Dhi Qar and Basra, an additional 530 persons reported having trouble breathing. An orange haze formed by the sandstorm obscured the southern regions of Iraq, making it impossible to see more than a kilometer away (0.62 miles).
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