Thousands of Iraqis have been treated in hospitals with breathing difficulties as a result of the sandstorms. The elderly and those with chronic respiratory disease and heart problems are most at risk. Today, hundreds of people in the capital Baghdad and other cities have been hospitalized with breathing difficulties.
Climate change
Iraq has seen more frequent sandstorms, but experts say the current frequency is unprecedented. Causes they cite are drought, rapid desertification and climate change.
Drought and extreme temperatures are drying up agricultural land. In recent years, record temperatures of 52 degrees Celsius have been measured. Climate activists blame the Iraqi government for not prioritizing climate change mitigation.
The Iraqi government has previously said that dam projects in Turkey and Iran are reducing river water flow to Iraq. According to the government, this means that water reserves have decreased by 50 percent compared to last year. As a result, the ground is drier and more susceptible to sandstorms.
The fact is that it is raining less and less in Iraq and the water supply has been declining for years. Last month, an official at the Ministry of the Environment warned that Iraq could experience 272 days of dust per year for the next 20 years.
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