Kinkini Gupta
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Written By: Kinkini Gupta | Updated : April 16, 2025 11:06 PM IST
At Least 3,700 Hospitalised With Breathing Problems After Severe Sandstorm Sweeps Iraq
A severe sandstorm swept through Iraq filling the air with cho9king dust, hospitalizing at least 3,700 people with breathing problems on Tuesday, as per the health ministry. The storm lead to the closure of airports as visibility fell to less than on kilometer which is barely half a mile in central and southern cities. The entire region was engulfed in an orange post-apocalyptic haze, says reports.
According to the reports from the health ministry, Basra and Najaf airports were closed during the storm and Health Ministry spokesperson Saif al-Badr said Basra province was the worst affected. More than 1,000 of the 3,747 hospital admissions attributed to the sandstorm.
Pedestrians, police, paramedics on site and other people who ventured out into the storm in Basra had to wear protective masks to protect themselves from the choking dust. The paramedics on site were appointed to help people with breathing difficulties. Local health official reported that hospitals in Muthanna province in southern Iraq admitted at least 700 cases of suffocation.
Over 250 individuals were hospitalized in Najaf province, while at least 322 patients among them children were admitted to medical facilities in Diwaniyah province. Additionally, another 530 people in Dhi Qar and Basra provinces experienced respiratory problems.
Sandstorms are a perennial feature of life in central and southern Iraq but the environment ministry has warned the country can expect to suffer a rising number of "dust days" in coming decades due to the impact of global warming.
