Erbil suspends flights as dust storm engulfs the city

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A severe dust storm sweeping the Kurdistan Region on Thursday has forced Erbil’s airport to suspend its flights until further notice as it has significantly impaired visibility.

All outbound and inbound flights are suspended until the storm is cleared and visibility is returned, CEO of Erbil International Airport Ahmed Hoshyar told Rudaw on Thursday.

A thick layer of dust blanketed Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, reducing visibility in the cities and making driving difficult.

Poor visibility conditions are a danger when aircrafts land and take off. The dust could also scour plane surfaces and damage engines.

The storm is expected to last for 48 hours, meaning until Saturday, according to the Region’s directorate of meteorology and seismology.

Over a thousand people were hospitalized due to breathing problems in Baghdad after a heavy dust storm hit the city last month.

Baghdad’s sky often turns orange and reddish-brown as sand from the surrounding desert blows into the capital. Experts believe the dust increases as a result of the worsening drought which reduces the flow of water in the Tigris and Euphrates, creating drier and dustier land more susceptible to sand storms.

Climate change is a major factor in increasing dust waves. According to statistics recorded by the General Meteorological Authority, Iraq's Ministry of Environment said on Tuesday, the number of dusty days increased from 243 to 272 days per year over the past two decades, and it is expected to reach 300 dusty days per year in 2050.

Iraq is among the most affected countries in the world by the effects of climate change. It has been named by the UN as the fifth-most vulnerable nation, with rising temperatures and water shortages.