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• Tue Apr 15 2025

Iraq sandstorm leaves many with breathing problems

5 hours ago Share Save Alfie Tobutt BBC World Service Reporting from London Yang Tian BBC News Share Save

Watch: Heavy sandstorm causes orange haze and low visibility across southern Iraq

More than 1,000 people have been left with respiratory problems after a sandstorm swept across Iraq's central and southern parts of the country, health officials said. One official in Muthanna province reported to the AFP news agency at least 700 cases of what they said was suffocation. Footage shared online showed areas cloaked in a thick orange haze, with local media reporting power cuts and the suspension of flights in a number of regions. Dust storms are common in Iraq, but some experts believe they are becoming more frequent due to climate change.

Getty Images Iraq's environment ministry has warned the country will see more "dust days"

Pedestrians and police wore face masks to protect themselves from the dust and paramedics were on site to assist people with difficulty breathing, according to AFP. Hospitals in Muthanna province in southern Iraq received at least "700 cases of suffocation", a local health official said. More than 250 people were taken to hospital in Najaf province, and at least 322 patients including children were sent to hospitals in Diwaniyah province. A further 530 people reported breathing issues in Dhi Qar and Basra provinces. The sandstorm blanketed Iraq's southern provinces in an orange cloud that reduced visibility to less than one kilometre (0.62 mile).

Getty Images Visibility was reduced to less than one kilometre