BBC World Service
Getty imagesHealth officials said that more than a thousand people have been abandoned with respiratory problems after a sandstorm flows in the central and southern parts of Iraq.
An official from Muthna province informed the AFP news agency that what he had said was suffocated in at least 700 cases.
Online shared footage shows that local media reporting power cuts and suspension of flights in many areas, wrapped in a thick orange mist.
Dusty storms are common in Iraq, but some experts believe they are happening more frequent due to climate change.
Getty imagesAccording to the AFP, pedestrians and police wore a face mask to protect themselves from dust and paramedics were on the site to help people breathe.
A local health officer said that hospitals in Muthna province in Southern Iraq found at least “700 suffocation cases”.
More than 250 people were rushed to the hospital in Najaf province, and at least 322 patients, including children, were sent to hospitals in civil province.
Another 530 people reported breathing issues in Dhi Qar and Basra provinces.
The sandstorm gave a blanket to the southern provinces of Iraq in an orange cloud, which reduced the visibility by one kilometer (0.62 mi).
Getty imagesThe officials were forced to close the airports in the provinces of Najaf and Basra.
According to local weather services, conditions are expected to improve gradually by Tuesday morning.
Iraq is listed by the United Nations One of the five countries The weakest for climate change because it withstands regular sandstorms, reduces heat and water scarcity.
A serious sandstorm in 2022 A person is left dead and requires treatment for more than 5,000 respiratory diseases.
Iraq will experience more “days of dust” in future, according to its Environment Ministry.
