A sandstorm that swept over central and southern Iraq has left over 1,000 people with respiratory issues. according to health official.
At least 700 cases of what one official in Muthanna province claimed to be suffocation were reported.
Local media reported power outages and flight suspensions in several areas, while footage circulated online showed areas covered in a dense orange haze.
Iraq frequently experiences dust storms, but some experts think that climate change is making them more frequent.
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 local media.
Hospitals in Muthanna province in southern Iraq received at least “700 cases of suffocation”, a local health official said.
More than 250 individuals were rushed to hospitals in Najaf province, while at least 322 patients, including children, were transported to hospitals in Diwaniyah province.
The sandstorm created an orange cloud over Iraq’s southern provinces, reducing visibility to less than one kilometer (0.62 mile).
Authorities were compelled to close airports in Najaf and Basra.
Local weather authorities predict that conditions will progressively improve by Tuesday morning.
Iraq is listed by the UN as one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change as it encounters regular sandstorms, sweltering heat and water scarcity.
