ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A total of 90 cases of breathing difficulties were recorded in the city of Kirkuk on Thursday as a result of the heavy dust storm that swept Iraq and the Kurdistan Region that day, a Kirkuk health official confirmed to Rudaw English Thursday evening.
A thick layer of dust blanketed Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, reducing visibility in the cities and making driving difficult.
“We have 90 cases of suffocation that were admitted into our [medical] institutions,” Nabil Hamdi, the director of Kirkuk’s health department, told Rudaw English on Thursday, adding that all the patients have received sufficient medical care and have been sent home after showing signs of recovery.
Over a thousand people were hospitalized due to breathing problems in Baghdad after a heavy dust storm hit the city last month.
Kirkuk’s traffic directorate released a list of recommendations on Thursday for the province’s drivers to remain cautious as the dust storm continues. Driving at lower speed limits, closing down the windows entirely, and refraining from long trips as much as possible are amongst the points mentioned on the list.
The Kurdistan Region’s directorate of meteorology and seismology advised drivers in Kirkuk to maintain a speed limit of 10 to 30 kilometers per hour for Friday, to avoid unfortunate accidents caused by the lack of visibility.
The storm is expected to last for 48 hours, meaning until Saturday, according to the Region’s directorate of meteorology and seismology.
Erbil International Airport announced on Thursday that they would be suspending both inbound and outbound flights until further notice.
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.”
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