Dust storm turns Iraq skies into orange artwork
A thick cloud of orange dust left people gasping for air and grounded several flights. Experts say phenomenon to become more frequent due to drought and declining rainfall
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Skies over Iraq turned a beautiful orange on Sunday when a major dust storm hit large parts of the country. These storms have become more frequent due to drought and declining rainfall, with the country experiencing a series of dust storms last month. AFP
The thick layer of orange dust affected visibility, grounding several flights at Baghdad and the Shia holy city of Najaf. AFP
Dozens were hospitalised with respiratory problems in the centre and the west of the country. AFP
Iraq's meteorological office said that the country is likely to see more and more dust storms due to drought, desertification and declining rainfall. A lack of green areas in and around cities can also contribute to the problem. AFP
According to officials, flights have been interrupted at the airports of Baghdad and Najaf due to the dust storm and visibility will only improve by Monday evening. AFP
In early April, Issa al-Fayad, an environment ministry official, had warned that Iraq could face “272 days of dust” a year in coming decades, according to the state news agency INA. AFP