Over the previous two days, extreme sandstorms have swept throughout central and south Iraq, turning the sky into unusual oranges, decreasing visibility in some places to lower than half a mile, and sending 1000’s of individuals to emergency rooms with respiratory issues.
The 2 airports stopped flights as a consequence of low visibility, and the usually crowded highways in Basra, the biggest metropolis within the nation, had been virtually empty as they ran by means of palm bushes and floor electrical strains.
Amir al-Jaburi, a spokesman for the Iraqi Climate Service, stated “deterrent waves” had been primarily present in jap Saudi Arabia, a desert area, and had been blown throughout the nation after choosing up further particles within the equally arid southwestern Iraq.
Sandstorm has lengthy been a characteristic of Iraq’s winter and early spring, however local weather specialists say storms have gotten extra frequent and extra extreme because the nation and neighboring Syria expertise droughts longer and extra frequent, and desertification engulfs bigger and bigger areas of once-pre-established land.
The storm was the worst ever in Iraq in 2025, however a equally severe storm paralyzed Baghdad in December, with some severe sandstorms in 2022.
The United Nations Counts Iraq The fifth most susceptible nation Some points of local weather change contain excessive temperatures and decreased availability of water.
The storm calmed down on Tuesday and temperatures had been a bit of low, however southern Iraq had skilled day by day highs of over 100 levels earlier than a sandstorm scavenged the solar and lowered the temperature.
Through the newest storm, many individuals wore face masks, particularly police and paramedics who labored exterior, for defense, whereas others wrapped material round their mouths.
Sand and dirt had been so prevalent that it penetrated virtually each dwelling and automobile, passing by means of the smallest cracks to coat all surfaces, making it troublesome to work with a pc, forcing virtually everybody besides emergency staff to remain indoors.
Saif al-Badr, a spokesman for Iraqi Ministry of Well being, stated emergency rooms within the south have obtained 3,747 circumstances of Iraqis affected by respiration issues on account of the storm. Of those, greater than 1,000 individuals had been recorded in Basra, the place the storm was significantly extreme on Monday, with 451 individuals in Najaf, a a lot smaller metropolis, he stated.
He additionally stated residents of Mutanna, who share an extended border with Saudi Arabia, had been severely affected, including that a lot of the 1000’s who had been handled for respiratory issues had been launched.
The Basra Police Station has issued a listing of storm directions, together with these directed at households. “Storms have some scary sounds for younger youngsters, so dad and mom want to elucidate what is going on on in order that their youngsters can sleep soundly.”
