A sandstorm in Iraq caused significant disruptions, closing airports and resulting in over 3,700 hospitalizations due to breathing difficulties, particularly in Basra, which reported the highest number of cases. Visibility dropped to under one kilometer as the storm created an orange haze across central and southern cities; many residents wore face masks to protect against the dust. The environment ministry has indicated that Iraq may experience an increasing frequency of “dust days” in the future due to global warming, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by such storms.
