Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A severe sandstorm swept across several regions of Iraq this week, sending at least 3,747 people to hospitals with respiratory problems. Authorities confirmed that no fatalities reported so far.
Health Ministry spokesperson Saif Al Badr said the majority of patients came from the capital, Baghdad, and other provinces affected by the storm.
“At least 3,747 people have been hospitalized in Baghdad and other provinces since Monday,” said Al Badr as reported by Anadolu, on Tuesday (April 15).
Baghdad reported the highest number of cases with 1,015 patients, followed by Al Muthanna province with 874 cases. Many patients have since been discharged, and authorities confirmed that no fatalities have been reported so far.
“We are not facing any shortages in medicine, medical supplies, or oxygen,” Al Badr added.
Footage circulating on social media showed the sky turning a deep orange as thick clouds of dust blanketed cities, severely disrupting daily life. Visibility dropped to less than a kilometer in some areas, forcing the closure of two major airports in Najaf and Basra due to near-zero visibility, according to local media reports.
Iraq’s meteorological agency had forecast conditions to gradually improve by Tuesday morning, but officials have continued to urge residents to stay indoors.
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Although sandstorm are not uncommon in Iraq, scientists warn that climate change is making them more frequent and intense. “Climate change and desertification are causing these storms to occur more often,” experts states, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The United Nations has ranked Iraq among the world’s five most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, including extreme heat, water scarcity, and dust storms.
A similar sandstorm in 2022 hospitalized more than 5,000 people and resulted in at least one death. Iraq’s Ministry of Environment has warned that the number of “dust days” could rise significantly in the coming years if the global climate crisis remains unaddressed.
(Raidi/Agung)
