Natural DISASTER – 4,000 People Hospitalized!
(FeaturedNews.com) – Iraq has been suffering from repeated sandstorms since April, with devastating effects. The eighth one hit the nation on May 16 and reportedly sent thousands of people to the hospital.
The sandstorm’s resulting thick dust cloud that crept over cities blanketed every surface in yellow and orange and led to a massive number of hospitalizations. Victims admitted to the hospital were experiencing breathing issues, and some fought suffocation due to the dust. Unfortunately, at least one person died as a result of the storm.
On Monday, May 16, France 24 reported that an Iranian Health Ministry spokesperson confirmed that at least 4,000 individuals required hospitalization for respiratory problems related to the sand storm. However, according to Seif al-Badr, hospital personnel were able to administer “the necessary medical care” to everyone in need.
THR: Iraq: Sandstorm Halts Flights, Shuts Down Schools, Hospitalizes 4,000 https://t.co/H6VyV7vbRv (BB)
— HWDRepublican (@HWDRepublican) May 18, 2022
Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondents observed several patients recuperating at Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Baghdad. Mohammed Saada, the son of 70-year-old Hadi Saada, told AFP this was the third time his father was hospitalized due to recent sandstorms.
Similarly, the Middle East Eye spoke with Adel Abbas, who lives in the southern part of Iraq. He said he was repairing his car when the sandstorm hit. “I felt bad and unable to breathe,” he recounted, adding that his brother had to transport him to a nearby hospital.
Frequent sandstorms have become the norm for the region due to overgrazing, overuse of water resources, deforestation, and an increase in dams. An Iraqi environment ministry official projected the nation could see 272 days of these storms annually over the next 20 years.
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